Daily Readings - Sun Feb 13 2022

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

In today’s readings, we are presented with powerful messages that guide us in our faith journey. The prophet Jeremiah warns against trusting in human strength, urging us instead to place our confidence in God, who is the source of true life and stability. This is illustrated through the metaphor of a tree planted by water, thriving even in drought, symbolizing the believer who trusts in God. In contrast, those who rely on human efforts are like a barren tree in the desert. The second reading from 1 Corinthians emphasizes the centrality of the resurrection. Paul asserts that without the resurrection, our faith is in vain. The resurrection of Christ is the cornerstone of our hope, transforming our present sufferings into a pathway to eternal life. This hope is not just for the future but empowers us to live meaningfully now, trusting in God’s plan. In the Gospel, Jesus presents the Beatitudes, challenging societal norms by blessing the poor, hungry, and mournful. He calls us to embrace humility and compassion, promising eternal rewards for those who follow His teachings. This inversion of values encourages us to live counter-culturally, trusting in God’s promise of ultimate fulfillment. These readings interconnect by highlighting trust in God as the foundation of a transformed life. Jeremiah’s call to trust, Paul’s hope in resurrection, and Jesus’ Beatitudes all guide us to live with faith and hope. In our daily lives, we are invited to embody these teachings by choosing humility, caring for others, and enduring trials with the hope of eternal life. Let us embrace this call, trusting in God’s plan and living with the hope that only the resurrection brings.