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February 14, 2010 　6th Sunday 　　Year C

Thu, 02/18/2010 - 05:58 — staff

Scripture: Jeremiah 17:5-8
Psalm 1
1Corinthians 15:1-11
Luke 6:20-26

In today's Bible readings both Jeremiah and Jesus introduce us to a way of living our everyday lives. It is the way of trust and reliance on God.

In the first reading from Jeremiah and Psalm 1 we have a parable of two trees in the desert. One tree looks healthy from the outside, but it has very shallow roots. When a drought comes it dries up and withers, because it is getting no water, which is life to a tree. The other tree puts its roots deep down in the earth and these stretch out to a water source. This tree keeps green and bears fruit even in time of a drought. It gets life from water deep down.

Some people are like the tree with shallow roots. Goods, possessions come first. The priorities of the heart for such a person are getting on in the world, being comfortable, good marks at school, being popular, getting into a good team etc etc. Such a person has shallow roots and these goods do not satisfy the heart. When any setback or suffering comes the heart is empty with no life in it.

The Bible (in Jeremiah and Jesus today) sets out another way of life that brings life and peace. This person is doing the same work as the other person but in the midst of that daily round of work this person has a deep trust in God. He/she relies on God because human weakness is acknowledged and God's help and strength is requested. This person has deep roots that get life from God himself.

To humbly admit that one is weak and rely on God's help is to be poor in the Biblical meaning. Many rich people think that they are self-sufficient and have no need of God. Their love of material things blunts their sense of the spiritual. Needs of the heart are neglected. On the other hand poor people have
very little worldly goods but they can say: "We have God as our strength." May we learn to be poor in the Biblical sense - it is the only way to be happy and at peace. "A blessing on the one who trust the Lord"(Jer.) "How happy are you who are poor..."(Jesus).