The SIXTH SUNDAY (C)

“FIRST IMPRESSIONS” 6th SUNDAY February 16, 2025 Jeremiah 17: 5-8; Psalm 1; I Cor. 15: 12, 16-20; Luke 6: 17, 20-26 by Jude Siciliano, OP

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Dear Preachers:

It is one thing to trust God when life moves smoothly and we face no significant difficulties, or major transitions. At such times, it can feel as though we are special in God’s eyes. But Jeremiah speaks today of two kinds of people: those who turn away from God and place their trust in what is fleeting, and those who remain faithful to God. The unfaithful person who relies on human powers and skills will falter in hard times. Jeremiah poetically describes this as being like a bush in the desert, doomed to wither and become barren. Such a person is “cursed.” In contrast, “Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord.” Those who trust in God possess the inner resources they need, especially in times of trial.

The choice is ours: will we trust in what is merely human, or will we trust in God? Trusting in God does not mean merely believing in doctrine; it requires commitment and devotion to God. Those who choose God will have deep roots, able to endure when the rains fail, when the usual sources of support vanish, and when life tests their resilience.

Jeremiah’s words carry particular weight because he did not speak from a place of comfort or security. He experienced profound hardship and made difficult choices. As a prophet in Jerusalem, he witnessed the destruction of the temple and the city at the hands of the Babylonians. He lost everything, as did his people, many of whom were exiled to Babylon. Jeremiah himself fled to Egypt. Despite these tribulations, he continued to preach fidelity to God. He warned that those who turn from God are like shrubs in the desert, perpetually searching for water in a dry, lifeless landscape. Where will we look for strength in a world that often feels parched and inhospitable?

The Psalm Response provides further guidance. More than a prayer, it is a roadmap for how believers should live. The psalmist echoes Jeremiah’s imagery, describing the wise person who follows God’s ways as “a tree planted near running water.” This tree yields fruit in due season and remains resilient. In contrast, the foolish person is like chaff, blown aimlessly by the wind. The psalm urges us to make a deliberate choice to live according to God’s ways – a choice we must renew daily as we face life’s challenges.

Reflecting on these readings, we might ask ourselves: When have we made selfish or short-sighted choices? Did these decisions leave us like a barren bush, yielding no fruit, or like chaff driven by the wind? Conversely, have there been moments when we made just and good decisions that initially cost us something, but ultimately brought forth “fruit in due season”? These questions invite us to assess our lives in light of Jeremiah’s wisdom and the psalmist’s counsel.

These reflections lead us to today’s Gospel, where Jesus declares, “Blessed are the poor, hungry, weeping, and persecuted.” These are not the people we typically consider “blessed.” In our world, those with health, wealth, and security are often seen as blessed. Many attribute their comfort and success to God, saying, “God has blessed me with [fill in the blank].”

But Jesus offers a radically different perspective. In Luke’s Gospel, those who are poor, hungry, weeping, and persecuted are the “blessed.” This “reversal theme” runs throughout Luke’s Gospel. It is proclaimed in Mary’s Magnificat (Luke 1:46-55) and reiterated here: the poor will inherit the kingdom, the hungry will be filled, and those who weep will laugh.

Did Luke expect these conditions to change quickly? Likely not. Instead, his Beatitudes challenge the divisions between those the world deems “blessed” and those Jesus calls “blessed.” Jesus’ ministry, as presented in Luke, seeks to alleviate the suffering of those who turn to him, and he calls his disciples to do the same. As Jesus says in Acts 1:8, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Jesus’ message is clear: disciples must persevere until the end, when all evil will be defeated.

We must ask ourselves: Where do we fit within the “blessings” and “woes” of today’s Gospel? Many of us might recognize ourselves in the “woes.” We are not poor compared to much of the world. We are not hungry; in fact, we often have more than we need. We laugh frequently, though we have known moments of grief. For the most part, people speak well of us.

In the Gospel, Jesus speaks first to his disciples, those who have made sacrifices and taken risks to follow him. They have trusted in the Lord, as Jeremiah encouraged. Jesus sets out the qualities of true discipleship: turning away from riches, fleeting pleasures, and the praise of others. Following Jesus often brings deprivation, sorrow, hatred, and rejection. Yet this is the path of authentic discipleship.

Do we rely too much on ourselves? As disciples, we are called to serve the poor, the hungry, the weeping, and the abused. We are called to embody Gospel values in our lives, to stand in solidarity with the downtrodden and victimized. Do we trust God enough to address the needs of those whom Jesus calls “blessed”? This is the challenge we face as followers of Christ.

Click here for a link to this Sunday’s readings:

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/021625.cfm

QUOTABLE

JUSTICE BULLETIN BOARD

“For the Lord watches over the way of the just, but the way of the wicked vanishes.”

Psalm 1:6

As I am writing this column, Martin Luther King Jr. Day has just concluded and I am addressing the month of February in which the nation observes National Black History Month. I have always loved history and so I found the following information on the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH) website very interesting. I hope that you will take a little time this month to learn a little more about God’s children that come from African descent. As MLK Jr. states, “We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools.”

“When Carter G. Woodson established Negro History week in 1926, he realized the importance of providing a theme to focus the attention of the public. . .For those interested in the study of identity and ideology, an exploration of ASALH’s Black History themes is itself instructive. Over the years, the themes reflect changes in how people of African descent in the United States have viewed themselves, the influence of social movements on racial ideologies, and the aspirations of the black community.”

“ASALH’s 2019 theme ‘Black Migrations’ emphasizes the movement of people of African descent to new destinations and subsequently to new social realities. While inclusive of earlier centuries, this theme focuses especially on the twentieth century through today. Beginning in the early decades of the twentieth century, African American migration patterns included relocation from southern farms to southern cities; from the South to the Northeast, Midwest, and West; from the Caribbean to US cities as well as to migrant labor farms; and the emigration of noted African Americans to Africa and to European cities, such as Paris and London, after the end of World War I and World War II. Such migrations resulted in a more diverse and stratified interracial and intra-racial urban population amid a changing social milieu.” https://asalh.org/asalhs-2019-theme-black-migrations/

We are a nation made up of people on the move. Even Native Americans once crossed over from Asia by way of Alaska. We need to recognize the strength that this fact brings us instead of letting overt racism and systemic racism toward the “other” tear us apart. We need to live the biblical way of the just, model ourselves on the Beatitudes, and seek equity for all.

Barbara Molinari Quinby, MPS, Director
Office of Human Life, Dignity, and Justice Ministries
Holy Name of Jesus Cathedral, Raleigh, NC

FAITH BOOK

Mini-reflections on the Sunday scripture readings designed for persons on the run. “Faith Book” is also brief enough to be posted in the Sunday parish bulletins people take home.

From today’s Gospel reading:

Jesus said, "Blessed are you who are poor,
For the kingdom of God is yours."

Reflection:

As Jesus announced, the blessings of the kingdom are already present to his disciples – but not fully. Thus, his Beatitudes stir up hope and form our way of thinking and acting as we wait for the fullness of God’s Reign. We persevere in our struggles to live as members of God’s community and we pay special attention to those in need, those Jesus has called " blessed."

So we ask ourselves:

• What norms do I use to measure "success" in life?

• How would those norms measure up to the Beatitudes?

• Or, are they among the "woes" Jesus rejects?

POSTCARDS TO DEATH ROW INMATES

“One has to strongly affirm that condemnation to the death penalty is an inhuman measure that humiliates personal dignity, in whatever form it is carried out."
---Pope Francis

Inmates on death row are the most forgotten people in the prison system. Each week I am posting in this space several inmates’ names and locations. I invite you to write a postcard to one or more of them to let them know that: we have not forgotten them; are praying for them and their families; or, whatever personal encouragement you might like to give them. If the inmate responds, you might consider becoming pen pals.

Please write to:

• Christopher B. Bell #0592464 (On death row since 8/24/2001)

• Ray Miller #0742512 (10/25/2001)

• Reche Smith #0379083 (3/14/2002)African American

----Central Prison P.O. 247 Phoenix, MD 21131

Please note: Central Prison is in Raleigh, NC., but for security purposes, mail to inmates is processed through a clearing house at the above address in Maryland.

For more information on the Catholic position on the death penalty go to the Catholic Mobilizing Network: http://catholicsmobilizing.org/resources/cacp/

On this page you can sign “The National Catholic Pledge to End the Death Penalty.” Also, check the interfaith page for People of Faith Against the Death Penalty: http://www.pfadp.org/

DONATIONS

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If you would like to support this ministry, please send tax deductible contributions to fr. Jude Siciliano, O.P.:

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Irving, Texas 75062-4736

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