Cycle C - Year II:  

13 February 2022: Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time 

(Liturgical Color: Green)

Readings:

First Reading:        Jeremiah 17:5-8

Second Reading:   1 Corinthians 15:12, 16-20

Gospel:  Please Read  Luke 6:17, 20-26 

To hope in the Lord....

Life continues to be tough and hard for most of us as we continue to struggle with this pandemic.  In times like this, those most affected find solace and hope to survive in God our Lord and Savior.  And rightly so, because our heavenly Father never abandons us His children.

Let us find inspiration and comfort in the Gospel proclamation this Sunday on St. Luke's version of the "The Beatitudes", also known as the Sermon on the Plain.

The word "beatitude" literally means "happiness" or "blessedness" in the context of our search for God's kingdom. What is the significance of the Beatitudes and why are they so central in the teaching of our Lord Jesus Christ?

The Beatitude in Luke's version is shorter but more radical. It contains only four Beatitudes and four curses directed to the Hellenistic communities formed by rich and poor.  In contrast, Matthew's version of the Sermon on the Mount have eight Beatitudes which trace a program of life for the Christian communities of Jewish origin. 

Also, in Luke's version, the blessings and woes address the real economic and social conditions of humanity. Again, by contrast Matthew emphasizes the religious and spiritual values of disciples in the kingdom inaugurated by Jesus (like "poor in spirit" in Mt 5:3, "hunger and thirst for righteousness in Mt. 5:6).

In the Beatitudes, Jesus upturns the values we would normally consider desirable. Our Lord asks us to realize that we are not living simply to be happy in this life but we should ask ourselves the deeper value of our ways of life in the light of what we can bring with us to eternal life.

The Beatitudes in reality reveal God's ultimate justice.  They outline Jesus' prophetic outreach to those who live on the fringes of society.  Ultimately, authentic justice is bonding one's self with the sick, the disabled, the poor and the hungry.

As we reflect more deeply, we realize that the Beatitudes respond to the natural desire for happiness in every human heart.  Because the Beatitudes teach us the final end to which God calls us to His kingdom. But the Beatitudes also confront us with decisive choices concerning the life we pursue here on earth and the use we make of the goods that God puts at our disposal.  For in reality, God alone satisfies our longing for happiness, and not material possessions or wealth.

Thus, the Beatitudes point the way to God's kingdom.  The saints have trodden the path of the Beatitudes in their worldly journey. We, too, are called to be holy and to be  happy by working for the treasures which can afford us welcome into the heavenly home.

In reflection, we must hold up the Beatitudes as a mirror in which we examine our own lives and consciences.  So that we must challenge ourselves, and our faith: How can we be disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ and put into  practice Christ's teaching of the Beatitudes?

Tomorrow the world celebrates Valentine's Day. May the Beatitudes inspire us to care and love truly, especially those who need them most.

A blessed Sunday to us all. And thank you for a moment with God.

Ad Jesum per Mariam!