SUNDAY, SIXTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
Jer 17:5-8 Ps 1:1-4, 6 1 Cor 15:12, 16-20 Lk 6:17, 20-26
ANCHORED IN CHRISTIAN HOPE
A big difference can be drawn between Peter and Judas Iscariot, as we see them in the Gospels. Judas felt that he could not be liberated from the depths of his sin – that of betraying his master. He lost all hope of any future course of action, took refuge in a piece of rope, and hung himself. Peter, on the other hand, though he denied and rejected his beloved master, knew that he could still approach Him and seek His forgiveness. He cried bitterly, repented of his mistake, and returned to the Master! Unlike Judas, Peter is projected to us as a man of hope.
The readings today speak to us about hope. Hope is a virtue that can drag humanity out even from the most depressive pits of human existence. Hope offers human beings something to believe in, someone to trust, and such a sure expectation brings them to redemption and liberation. In his letter to the Romans, Paul exhorts us to be joyful in hope, to be patient in affliction, and to be faithful in prayer! This implies that hope is to be seen as a virtue that guides and sustains us amidst trials and suffering. Hope as a theological virtue is not about avoiding hardships; rather, it is founded on the trust placed in God’s promises and a sure faith in their fulfilment. The words of St. Thomas Aquinas offer much clarity concerning the virtue: “Hope is a movement of the soul, directed toward the future good that is difficult but possible to obtain!” As believers in the divine promises of God, the good that we long for is the beatific vision. An eager expectation of the same keeps us moving forward despite life’s challenges.
We are also presented with a striking contrast between those who trust in the Lord and those who trust in men. In the first reading, the prophet Jeremiah compares the latter to a barren bush in the desert, which is symbolic of the emptiness of the trust placed in human beings. Contrary to this, a person who trusts in the Lord is described as a tree planted near flowing water – a symbol of continuous growth and fruitfulness!
The Gospel draws a clear line of demarcation between those considered blessed according to heaven’s standards and as per the world’s standards! The Beatitudes of Jesus, as Luke presents them, inspire hope. Jesus calls ‘blessed’ the poor, those who mourn, and those who suffer. His message projects a value contrary to the world’s standards. We are invited to look beyond the trials and challenges of human existence and to consider them as mere hinderances along the way to holiness! Raising our sight from these troubles of life, we are called to march forward towards the promises of God. Challenging as it can be, the beatitudes shed light on the ultimate goal of human living: attaining heaven. That is the hope that should motivate us in our walk of virtuous living!
In the second reading, Paul, in his letter to the Corinthians, states that our virtue of ‘hope’ is founded not on mere fantasies but on the reality of Christ’s resurrection. He articulates it with conviction when he says that our faith is futile if Christ has not been raised from the dead. The reality of the resurrection points us to a life beyond the struggles of the present. Jesus’ resurrection is the centre and core belief of Catholicism, and our expectation of heaven is cemented on this belief. It gives us hope to believe in our own resurrection, and that hope fuels our pilgrimage on this earth. We, as his faithful followers, do not hope in fleeting things; rather, our hope remains anchored in Christ’s victory over death. Thus, our expectation of heaven becomes the ladder that helps us climb out of the void of despair, which might arise out of the trials and tribulations of our lives!
Thus, the liturgy of the day calls us to be rooted in the power of Jesus’ resurrection, which gives us hope of a new life after death. It teaches us that life’s journey is not only about looking forward with hope, but also consists in trusting God’s timing and His will! To know that He is on our boat and is completely in control of the storms is a great consolation!
Response: Blessed the man who has placed his trust in the Lord.
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