Daily Readings - Sun Feb 17 2019

⁵Thus says the Lord: "Cursed is a man who trusts in man, and who establishes what is flesh as his right arm, and whose heart withdraws from the Lord⁶For he will be like a saltcedar tree in the desert. And he will not perceive it, when what is good has arrived. Instead, he will live in dryness, in a desert, in a land of salt, which is uninhabitable⁷Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, for the Lord will be his confidence⁸And he will be like a tree planted beside waters, which sends out its roots to moist soil. And it will not fear when the heat arrives. And its leaves will be green. And in the time of drought, it will not be anxious, nor will it cease at any time to bear fruit

1 Corinthians

Chapter 15

¹²Now if Christ is preached, that he rose again from the dead, how is it that some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead¹⁶For if the dead do not rise again, then neither has Christ risen again¹⁷But if Christ has not risen, then your faith is vain; for you would still be in your sins¹⁸Then, too, those who have fallen asleep in Christ would have perished¹⁹If we have hope in Christ for this life only, then we are more miserable than all men²⁰But now Christ has risen again from the dead, as the first-fruits of those who sleep

Luke

Chapter 6

¹⁷And descending with them, he stood in a level place with a multitude of his disciples, and a copious multitude of people from all of Judea and Jerusalem and the seacoast, and Tyre and Sidon²⁰And lifting up his eyes to his disciples, he said: "Blessed are you poor, for yours is the kingdom of God²¹Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you shall be satisfied. Blessed are you who are weeping now, for you shall laugh²²Blessed shall you be when men will have hated you, and when they will have separated you and reproached you, and thrown out your name as if evil, because of the Son of man²³Be glad in that day and exult. For behold, your reward is great in heaven. For these same things their fathers did to the prophets²⁴Yet truly, woe to you who are wealthy, for you have your consolation²⁵Woe to you who are satisfied, for you will be hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep²⁶Woe to you when men will have blessed you. For these same things their fathers did to the false prophets

Sermon

The readings today invite us to reflect on the nature of trust, hope, and the transformative power of God’s presence in our lives. In the first reading from Jeremiah, we hear a stark contrast between those who trust in human strength and those who place their confidence in the Lord. The prophet uses the imagery of a tree planted by water, which remains fruitful even in times of drought, to describe the person whose heart is rooted in God. This image reminds us that true security and vitality come not from earthly comforts or human alliances but from a deep and abiding trust in the Lord. The second reading from 1 Corinthians shifts our focus to the hope of the resurrection. Paul emphasizes that the resurrection of Christ is the foundation of our faith. If Christ has not risen, our faith is in vain, and we are left with nothing but despair. But because Christ has risen, we have hope—not just for eternal life but for the transformative power of God to work in us even now. This hope is not merely wishful thinking but a confident trust that God’s promises are true and that He will bring life out of death, just as He did for Christ. In the Gospel, Luke presents Jesus’ Beatitudes, which challenge our worldly notions of happiness and success. Jesus pronounces blessings on those who are poor, hungry, and weeping, while He warns those who are comfortable and complacent. This teaching is not about physical poverty or wealth but about the disposition of our hearts. It calls us to recognize that true blessedness comes from dependence on God and a willingness to embrace humility, compassion, and trust in His providence. Like the tree in Jeremiah, we are called to be rooted in God, so that even in times of trial, we can bear fruit and find joy in His presence. These readings remind us that our ultimate hope is not in the things of this world but in the eternal life and transformation God offers. Let us ask ourselves: Where do we place our trust? Are we rooted in God, or are we relying on fleeting earthly securities? Let us embrace the hope of the resurrection and live in a way that reflects the Beatitudes, trusting that God will bring life and fruitfulness even in the most challenging circumstances.