Daily Readings - Sun Feb 16 2025

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 invited to reflect on the nature of trust, faith, and the ultimate source of our hope and happiness. The prophet Jeremiah contrasts the one who trusts in human strength with the one who places their confidence in God. The first is like a barren tree in the desert, while the latter is like a tree planted by flowing water, fruitful and unafraid of drought. This image reminds us that our spiritual vitality depends on where we root our trust. In the second reading, St. Paul emphasizes the centrality of the resurrection of Christ. He warns that if we deny the possibility of rising from the dead, we undermine the very foundation of our faith. Christ’s resurrection is not just a historical event but the promise of new life for all who believe. This truth should shape our hope and how we live, for we are not limited to this earthly life but are destined for eternal life with God. In the Gospel, Jesus proclaims the Beatitudes, blessing those who are poor, hungry, and weeping, while issuing a warning to those who are comfortable and complacent. His words challenge us to reevaluate what we value. True happiness does not come from wealth or fleeting pleasures but from trusting in God’s plan and living according to His will. Let us ask ourselves today: Where do we place our trust? Do we seek comfort in the things of this world, or do we root our lives in the eternal promises of God? May we embrace the humility and hope of the Beatitudes, knowing that our true reward lies in heaven.