The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to express gratitude for the life giving relationships we have and exhort us to live those blessings as witness to our trust in Providence.
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The reading from the Prophet Jeremiah proclaims the true Wisdom of Trust in the Lord.
Psalm 1 declares the Two Ways.
* [Psalm 1] A preface to the whole Book of Psalms, contrasting with striking similes the destiny of the good and the wicked. The Psalm views life as activity, as choosing either the good or the bad. Each “way” brings its inevitable consequences. The wise through their good actions will experience rootedness and life, and the wicked, rootlessness and death. (Psalms, PSALM 1 | USCCB, n.d.)
The reading from the First Letter of Paul to the Corinthians underlines the necessity of Resurrection of the Dead
* [15:12–19] Denial of the resurrection (1 Cor 15:12) involves logical inconsistencies. The basic one, stated twice (1 Cor 15:13, 16), is that if there is no such thing as (bodily) resurrection, then it has not taken place even in Christ’s case.
* [15:17–18] The consequences for the Corinthians are grave: both forgiveness of sins and salvation are an illusion, despite their strong convictions about both. Unless Christ is risen, their faith does not save. (1 Corinthians, CHAPTER 15 | USCCB, n.d.)
In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus preaches about Blessings and Woes in the Sermon on the Plain.
* [6:20–49] Luke’s “Sermon on the Plain” is the counterpart to Matthew’s “Sermon on the Mount” (Mt 5:1–7:27). It is addressed to the disciples of Jesus, and, like the sermon in Matthew, it begins with beatitudes (Lk 6:20–22) and ends with the parable of the two houses (Lk 6:46–49). Almost all the words of Jesus reported by Luke are found in Matthew’s version, but because Matthew includes sayings that were related to specifically Jewish Christian problems (e.g., Mt 5:17–20; 6:1–8, 16–18) that Luke did not find appropriate for his predominantly Gentile Christian audience, the “Sermon on the Mount” is considerably longer. Luke’s sermon may be outlined as follows: an introduction consisting of blessings and woes (Lk 6:20–26); the love of one’s enemies (Lk 6:27–36); the demands of loving one’s neighbor (Lk 6:37–42); good deeds as proof of one’s goodness (Lk 6:43–45); a parable illustrating the result of listening to and acting on the words of Jesus (Lk 6:46–49). At the core of the sermon is Jesus’ teaching on the love of one’s enemies (Lk 6:27–36) that has as its source of motivation God’s graciousness and compassion for all humanity (Lk 6:35–36) and Jesus’ teaching on the love of one’s neighbor (Lk 6:37–42) that is characterized by forgiveness and generosity.
* [6:20–26] The introductory portion of the sermon consists of blessings and woes that address the real economic and social conditions of humanity (the poor—the rich; the hungry—the satisfied; those grieving—those laughing; the outcast—the socially acceptable). By contrast, Matthew emphasizes the religious and spiritual values of disciples in the kingdom inaugurated by Jesus (“poor in spirit,” Mt 5:3; “hunger and thirst for righteousness,” Mt 5:6). In the sermon, blessed extols the fortunate condition of persons who are favored with the blessings of God; the woes, addressed as they are to the disciples of Jesus, threaten God’s profound displeasure on those so blinded by their present fortunate situation that they do not recognize and appreciate the real values of God’s kingdom. In all the blessings and woes, the present condition of the persons addressed will be reversed in the future. (Luke, CHAPTER 6 | USCCB, n.d.)
Gladyce Janky comments that if we are discouraged or uncertain about our next steps, St. Ignatius offers us guidance. When in desolation, he instructs us to vigorously renew our prayer life and patiently listen for God’s responses.
It might also help to reflect on Words of Wisdom that situate our work within the long view of Salvation History, such as this excerpt from Prophets of a Future Not Our Own | USCCB.
Nothing we do is complete, which is a way of
saying that the Kingdom always lies beyond us.
This is what we are about.
We plant the seeds that one day will grow.
We water seeds already planted, knowing that they hold future promise.
We lay foundations that will need further development.
We provide yeast that produces far beyond our capabilities.
We cannot do everything, and there is a sense of liberation in realizing that.
This enables us to do something, and to do it very well.
It may be incomplete, but it is a beginning, a step along the way, an
opportunity for the Lord’s grace to enter and do the rest.
We are workers, not master builders; ministers, not messiahs.
We are prophets of a future not our own. (Janky, 2025)
Don Schwager quotes “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) (Schwager, n.d.)
The Word Among Us Meditation on Luke 6:17, 20-26 comments that The Greek word that is translated as “blessed” in today’s Gospel carries a number of meanings, including “happy,” “fortunate,” or “enjoying divine favor.” So Jesus is reinforcing for his disciples that the life they have chosen is ultimately a life of happiness. He promises them “the kingdom of God” (Luke 6:20). He promises them that the day is coming when they, along with all those trapped in poverty, will “laugh” and “leap for joy” (6:21, 23). Jesus knows how challenging it can be to live out the call to discipleship.
If this describes you in any way, then know that Jesus calls you blessed. Know that he is promising you all the joys of his kingdom. And know that he is blessing you right now. As Jeremiah proclaimed in today’s first reading, he is making you as strong as a “tree planted beside the waters” (17:8). Even if you don’t feel particularly blessed today, you can still take heart because Jesus is faithful to all his promises.
“Lord, help me to trust in your blessings when the call to discipleship feels hard.” (Meditation on Luke 6:17, 20-26, 2025)
Friar Jude Winkler comments that Jeremiah is urging his listeners to trust in God during a time when the people are moving back and forth in alliances with Egypt and Babylon for security. The tree near the wadi develops a root system to survive between rainy seasons and the people need profound nourishment from God. Paul contrasts the necessity of Jesus' Resurrection with the Greek disposition that the soul is imprisoned in the body and resurrection of the body makes no sense. Friar Jude notes that the Jewish method of blessings and curses characterizes the Beatitudes in Luke compared to all blessings in Matthew and there common source is likes from Q.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, uses the metaphor of a “cosmic egg” to explain how stories offer us meaningful connections to ourselves, one another, and the divine. If we are going to be the rebuilders of society, we need to be rebuilt ourselves. A healthy psyche lives within at least four containers of meaning. Imagine four nested domes. The first is called my story, the second is our story, the third is other stories, and the fourth is the story. This is what he calls the cosmic egg.
The smallest dome of meaning is my story…This first dome contains my private life. “I” and my feelings and opinions are the reference point for everything. This dome is the little stage where I do my dance and where the questions are usually, “How do I feel? What do I believe? What makes me unique?”
The second dome of meaning is our story. This is the dome of our group, our community, our country, our church—perhaps our nationality or ethnic group. We seem to need this to contain our identity and security as social beings. It’s the good and necessary training ground for belonging, attaching, trusting, and loving…. Regrettably, a lot of people stop at the level of this shared meaning because it gives more consolation and security to the small self. In fact, loyalties at this level have driven most of human history up to now. (Rohr, n.d.)
We implore the Spirit to illuminate the blessing we experience in our relationship with Christ to be witnesses of faith, compassion, and love in our environment.
References
Janky, G. (2025, February 15). Creighton U. Daily Reflection. Creighton U. Daily Reflection. Retrieved February 16, 2025, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/021625.html
Luke, CHAPTER 6 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved February 16, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/6?17
Meditation on Luke 6:17, 20-26. (2025, February 16). The Word Among Us. Retrieved February 16, 2025, from https://wau.org/meditations/2025/02/16/1204625/
1 Corinthians, CHAPTER 15 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved February 16, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/1corinthians/15?12
Psalms, PSALM 1 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved February 16, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/1?1
Rohr, R. (n.d.). The Cosmic Egg: My Story and Our Story. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved February 16, 2025, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/
Schwager, D. (n.d.). Blessed Are You Poor - Yours Is the Kingdom of God. Retrieved February 16, 2025, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2025&date=feb16
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