Introduction: May you share the love that GOD has
given you and help enrich the lives of those who touch your life.
A few days
ago, we celebrated Valentine's Day. Valentine’s Day is a day when many people
give gifts of love to special people in their lives. It is a good thing to show
one’s love for others and to gift the person(s) who are meaningful to you. What
if you had taken the time to choose a special gift for your loved one and wrapped it up and presented it to that person, and the person took the gift and
put it on a shelf, unopened, how would you feel? You might feel disappointed,
even upset. You might feel rejected and dejected.
GOD is an
even greater lover. GOD constantly gifts us with special presents, but
sometimes we fail to appreciate and use the gifts that GOD gives us. We reject
the love of GOD symbolized by the gifts that GOD gives. If we, on the other
hand, gratefully accept what GOD bestows upon us and appreciate GOD’s presence
in the present, then we demonstrate our desire to have GOD be the focus of our
lives.
Blessedness
is the theme of today’s readings. True blessedness can only be described in
similes and allegories. The First Reading and the Responsorial are linked in
their reference to blessedness by using the analogy of a tree planted near
running water. That tree is able to produce good fruit even in the most dry and
arid of seasons. St. Paul stresses that blessedness is shared in the
resurrection of Jesus. The Gospel from Luke today has Jesus preaching to His
disciples in the “Sermon on the Plain,” beginning with the very practical and
real-life Beatitudes.
First Reading; Jeremiah 17:5-8:
A blessing on the man who puts his trust in the Lord
Commentary: Actually, it is neither a curse nor a
blessing. It is not invoking or wishing upon a person the blessing or the
curse. Instead, the prophet is here saying that people who behave in these two
ways are respectively blessed and accursed. There is no need to wish it on
them, for their own behaviour merits it and brings it on themselves. Such
statements of blessing and its opposite are frequent in the Bible; an example
very similar to this is in Psalm One. In Jeremiah’s prophecy here, unlike most
of the instances in the Bible of ‘beatitudes’, in both Old and New Testaments,
there is no list of ways of moral conduct, it is simply a matter of trust or
faith. It is not a person’s achievements that count, for we cannot earn
blessedness; we can only trust in God. However, if God is the real centre of
our trust and reliance, we will try to behave as we were created, in the image
of God, imitating the divine generosity, forgiveness, and attentiveness to human
need, fostering life rather than restricting it. This will mean that our heart
is truly turned to the LORD, and the LORD will care for the rest.
Responsorial Psalm 1:1-4,6: Happy
the man who has placed his trust in the Lord.
The
Responsorial echoes the analogy of the tree planted near running water and the
fact that it is like the blessed person who trusts in the LORD. The psalm
selection ends by promising that the people over whom GOD watches will be those
who seek to be just.
Second Reading; 1 Corinthians
15:12,16-20: If Christ has not been raised, you are still in your sins
Commentary: As he nears the end of his great
letter to the Corinthians, which we have been reading for five Sundays, Paul
teaches about the resurrection, the bedrock of Christian faith. Last Sunday he
was rehearsing the most primitive proclamation, that Christ had truly risen
from the dead and had encountered a host of witnesses. Now Paul comes on to the
resurrection of Christians, of which Christ’s resurrection is the first fruits and the model. The importance of Christ’s resurrection is not only that it places
him in glory at his Father’s right hand, but also that it is the forerunner of
our own resurrection. We can know little about the transformation which will
take place in us at the resurrection. We will be physical, but physical in a
quite different way. The glorified body is a body, but not like anybody which
we know. The traditional Christian picture of clouds and harps is not to be
taken too seriously. The only important thing is that we will be wrapped or
wrapt in the joy of the presence of God, enveloped in utter contentment.
Nothing else will matter but the enjoyment of the most lovable of all beings.
Gospel; Luke 6:17,20-26: Happy
are you who are poor, who are hungry, who weep
Commentary: Matthew’s
Sermon on the Mount and Luke’s Sermon on the Plain are both collections of
sayings of Jesus about the basic conditions of Christian living. Each begins
with a set of ‘Beatitudes’, announcing who is specially blessed by the Lord.
One frisky modern translation renders them, ‘Congratulations to you who are…!’
Matthew’s set of eight Beatitudes focuses more on spiritual qualities, poor in
spirit, hunger, and thirst for justice, whereas Luke’s four are more directly on
the circumstances of life. The stress is therefore on the reversal of values
brought by Jesus. Jesus turns the world upside-down. His gospel or ‘good news’
comes to the poor, the neglected, the oppressed. True blessedness does not
consist of wealth, fame, or festivities. It is those who struggle now who will
receive a lasting reward. Are the four negatives that follow too hard on the
rich, the contented, the frivolous, the famous? Through this gospel runs a
thread of warning about the dangers of contentment, and we seldom pay attention
to warnings unless they are overstated! The worry of those who have plenty,
about how they should use their advantages responsibly for others, must be as
least as great as those who worry to survive.
Reflection: When you encounter misfortune, grief,
or tragic loss, how do you respond? With fear or faith? With passive
resignation or with patient hope and trust in God? We know from experience that
no one can escape all of the inevitable trials of life - pain, suffering,
sickness, and death. When Jesus began to teach his disciples he gave them a
"way of happiness" that transcends every difficulty and trouble that
can weigh us down with grief and despair. Jesus began his sermon on the mount
by addressing the issue of where true happiness can be found. The word
beatitude literally means happiness or blessedness. Jesus' way of happiness,
however, demands a transformation from within - a conversion of heart and mind
which can only come about through the gift and working of the Holy Spirit.
True happiness can only be fulfilled in God: How
can one possibly find happiness in poverty, hunger, mourning, and persecution?
If we want to be filled with the joy and happiness of heaven, then we must
empty ourselves of all that would shut God out of our hearts. The poverty of spirit
finds ample room and joy in possessing God alone as the greatest treasure
possible. Hunger of the spirit seeks nourishment and strength in God's word and
Spirit. Sorrow and mourning over wasted life and sin lead to joyful freedom
from the burden of guilt and oppression.
The beatitudes strengthen us in virtue and excellence: Ambrose
(339-397 A.D), an early church father and bishop of Milan, links the beatitudes
with the four cardinal virtues which strengthen us in living a life of moral
excellence. He writes: "Let us see how St. Luke encompassed the eight
blessings in the four. We know that there are four cardinal virtues:
temperance, justice, prudence and fortitude. One who is poor in spirit is not
greedy. One who weeps is not proud but is submissive and tranquil. One who mourns
is humble. One who just does not deny what he knows is given jointly to all
for us. One who is merciful gives away his own goods. One who bestows his own
goods does not seek another's, nor does he contrive a trap for his neighbor.
These virtues are interwoven and interlinked, so that one who has one may be
seen to have several, and a single virtue befits the saints. Where virtue
abounds, the reward too abounds... Thus temperance has purity of heart and
spirit, justice has compassion, patience has peace, and endurance has
gentleness." (EXPOSITION OF THE GOSPEL OF LUKE 5.62-63, 68).
No one can live without joy: God reveals to the
humble of heart the true source of abundant life and happiness. Jesus promises
his disciples that the joys of heaven will more than compensate for the
troubles and hardships they can expect in this world. Thomas Aquinas said:
"No person can live without joy. That is why someone deprived of spiritual
joy goes after carnal pleasures." Do you know the joy and happiness of
hungering and thirsting for God alone?
Lord Jesus,
increase my hunger for you and show me the way that leads to everlasting
happiness and peace. May I desire you above all else and find perfect joy in
doing your will.
Daily Quote from the Early Church Fathers: Jesus,
though rich, became poor for us, by Ambrose of Milan, 339-397 A.D.
"'Blessed,'
it says, 'are the poor.' Not all the poor are blessed, for poverty is neutral.
The poor can be either good or evil, unless, perhaps, the blessed pauper is to
be understood as he whom the prophet described, saying, 'A righteous poor man is
better than a rich liar' (Proverbs 19:22). Blessed is the poor man who cried
and whom the Lord heard (Psalm 34:6). Blessed is the man poor in offense.
Blessed is the man poor in vices. Blessed is the poor man in whom the prince of
this world (John 14:30) finds nothing. Blessed is the poor man who is like that
poor Man who, although he was rich, became poor for our sake (2 Corinthians
8:9). Matthew fully revealed this when he said, 'Blessed are the poor in
spirit' (Matthew 5:3). One poor in spirit is not puffed up, is not exalted in
the mind of his own flesh. This beatitude is first, when I have laid aside
every sin, and I have taken off all malice, and I am content with simplicity,
destitute of evils. All that remains is that I regulate my conduct. For what good
does it do me to lack worldly goods, unless I am meek and gentle?"
(excerpt from EXPOSITION OF THE GOSPEL OF LUKE 5.53-54)
Living on lava? “Cursed is the man who trusts in
human beings, who seeks his strength in flesh, whose heart turns away from the
Lord. He is like a barren bush in the desert that enjoys no change of season,
but stands in a lava waste, a salt and empty earth.” —Jeremiah 17:5-6
Close your eyes
for a moment and imagine spending a week by yourself camping on “a lava waste,
a salt and empty earth” (Jer 17:6). Have you ever seen a lava waste? Nothing
can grow upon lava. There can be no roots, so all plant growth withers (see Mt
13:6; Jer 17:6). It is totally inhospitable. That is what it’s like to trust in
human beings, seek strength in flesh, and turn your heart away from the Lord
(Jer 17:5). There is “no change of season” (Jer 17:6), no plant life, no shade,
no growth, no nourishment. Trusting in man is like being a barren, lifeless
bush in the desert (Jer 17:6).
The contrast
presented in today’s Eucharistic readings could not be more stark. The choice
in whom we trust is like the difference between living in a lava waste or
living beside a flowing stream. Living beside flowing water means fruit during
drought, shade, and deep roots (Jer 17:8). But trusting in man, the things of
earth, and being well spoken of (Lk 6:24-26) only brings woe.
As today’s Mass
readings illustrate, it’s not only our behavior that dooms us, it’s whether we
put our trust in God or in man (Jer 17:5ff; Ps 1:1ff). Will we stay true to God
and put our trust in Him or will we trust in man and live on lava?
Prayer: Father, help me to trust in You at all
times (Ps 62:9). “Blest are you who hunger; you shall be filled.” —Lk 6:20-21.
Praise Jesus, incarnate God! Praise Jesus, victorious over Satan, sin, and
death! (see Heb 2:14-15).
The personal question for today: What is the driving force in my life? Do I seek the
blessedness that GOD offers me, or do I seek merely earthly pleasures? How much
do I identify with the poor, the hungry, the weeping? Am I aware of my ultimate
destiny and what I must do to be sure that I am heading in that direction? What
am I doing to help others along the way so that they may also reach the place
of resting with GOD for all eternity?
Blessed are
You, LORD GOD, our eternal resting place. Through Your Goodness, You not only
put a desire within us to be with You, but also You provide the graces and the
wherewithal to journey to You. Yet, at times, we have lost sight of our calling
and have let other forces drive us along our life paths. For our failures to
keep You ever in mind and sink our roots down to Your life-giving flow, we ask
Your pardon and forgiveness. Through the continued power of Your Holy Spirit
and the example of Your Son, Jesus, help us to keep our eyes on You and eagerly
do what we can to proclaim life with You as our goal. Let the Good News of Your
love be the driving force in our lives and help us to inspire others to seek
You until that time when our hearts can rest in You. We make this prayer of
thanks and praise to You, in the name of Your Son, Jesus, our Brother and
Savior, Who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and Who has died, is risen,
and is living and reigning with You and the Holy Spirit, our one and only GOD
forever and ever. Amen.
*Saint Gilbert of Sempringham: Gilbert was born in Sempringham, England, into a
wealthy family, but he followed a path quite different from that expected of
him as the son of a Norman knight. Sent to France for his higher education, he
decided to pursue seminary studies.
He returned to
England, where he had not yet been ordained a priest, and inherited several estates from his
father. But Gilbert avoided the easy life he could have led under the
circumstances. Instead, he lived a simple life at a parish, sharing as much as
possible with the poor. Following his ordination to the priesthood he served as
parish priest at Sempringham.
Among the
congregation were seven young women who had expressed to him their desire to
live a religious life. In response, Gilbert had a house built for them
adjacent to the Church. There they lived an austere life, but one which
attracted ever more numbers; eventually lay sisters and lay brothers were added
to work the land. The religious order formed eventually became known as the
Gilbertines, though Gilbert had hoped the Cistercians or some other existing
order would take on the responsibility of establishing a rule of life for the
new order. The Gilbertines, the only religious order of English origin founded
during the Middle Ages, continued to thrive. However the order came to an end when
King Henry VIII suppressed all Catholic monasteries.
Over the years
a special custom grew up in the houses of the order called “the plate of the
Lord Jesus.” The best portions of the dinner were put on a special plate and
shared with the poor, reflecting Gilbert’s lifelong concern for less fortunate
people. Throughout his life, Gilbert lived simply, consumed little food, and
spent a good portion of many nights in prayer. Despite the rigors of such a
life, he died at well over the age of 100.
When he came into his father’s wealth, Gilbert could have lived a life of luxury, as many of his fellow priests did at the time. Instead, he chose to share his wealth with the poor. The charming habit of filling “the plate of the Lord Jesus” in the monasteries he established reflected his concern. Today’s Operation Rice Bowl echoes that habit: eating a simpler meal and letting the difference in the grocery bill help feed the hungry.