It is the 6th Sunday in Ordinary Time. This is the last Sunday of Ordinary Time, Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, February 17th. Let’s take some time to remind the children (and ourselves) to think upon their acts of repentance for Lent and to try to choose something to “give up” for Lent that has some meaning or can help someone else. Does it help anyone that you give up chocolate? Do you begin indulging in that chocolate on Easter Sunday just like you did before Lent began? What we begin in Lent as an unselfish act of penance or alms giving or act of love for God we should begin with the intention of continuing the practice forever. If you can do that, your relationship, your love, faith and trust in God has and continues to grow exponentially thereafter.
We began the Year C with a couple of readings from the Gospel according to John; St. John the Evangelist; John, the beloved disciple. Some people do not like St. John’s writings about Jesus, probably because they don’t like some of the hard things that Jesus has to say and how honest and forthright he was about the true nature of himself and God.
We will read again from John later, and from other Gospels here and there but Year C will focus more on the writings of Luke. Luke was a convert from paganism. His writings emphasize the universal salvation of all people. Luke reveals the mission of Jesus to us by focusing on four characteristics: prominence of the Holy Spirit, Importance of prayer, an attitude of joy and special concern for "marginal" people such as foreigners, women and social outcasts. Luke's narrative includes more women than the other three combined.
Luke emphasizes the power and presence of the Holy Spirit and his Gospel is full of JOY. In the beginning of his writings there are songs of joy from Zachariah, the angels, Mary and Simeon. Luke tells us that there will be great joy in heaven for every sinner who repents. Prayer is highly emphasized for accomplishing the missions and purposes of God. (Jesus prayed when he was baptized, at the Transfiguration, beore choosing the 12 apostles and before teaching the Lord's prayer) Luke often begins a narrative with the phrase, "while he was at prayer."
Through Luke's Gospel we see Jesus as "the Lord of all, whose Spirit enlivens the disciples, and who calls us to live out his mission in daily, real-life situations within the Christian community."
In our reading this week from the Gospel according to Luke, Jesus teaches us the Beatitudes. The Beatitudes (be-attitudes for pronunciation) are the teachings of Jesus about how we can find true happiness, true freedom, true love, peace and fulfillment through our faith and love of God alone. This is the core of our faith. This lesson reinforces the truth that things of this world are passing and cannot sustain happiness; they cannot replace or manufacture love, feed our bodies or nourish our souls. We cannot look to this world for fullness of life. But a person who has nothing in this world but has faith in Jesus has more than any millionaire who does not know Jesus. A lonely person with no friends or family has more love in her life if she loves Jesus than another who has hundreds of friends and family. Anyone who is deprived of food, clothing, shelter or water but has love and faith unbroken in Jesus has every need met through their faith and they will not be allowed to suffer forever.
We are not ordered to suffer to prove our faith although this is sometimes a calling. God wants to grant grace in abundance. He asks only for our trust. Trust God to love us enough to take care of our needs. Sometimes our reward, or grace, is not granted here on this earth but in heaven but we still need to have faith and trust that God will provide when the time is right.
If we live our lives selfishly, and constantly concerned with what we want and what we get and how much we have then we are living with our faith tied to this world and to passing things that at most can offer a moment of pleasure or fleeting happiness that is wholly self centered. It is important, therefore, that when we do have more than enough we share it with those that have less than enough. We must try hard everyday to get better and better at living for others instead of ourselves, to live selflessly. Sorrow comes from not having trust in God and not having that close loving relationship that fosters trust. No lasting joy can come from a life lived without the fullness that is Christ Jesus and His merciful loving heart.
Ask anyone who loves Jesus with their mind, body and soul what they fear and they will answer “nothing.” They fear nothing because no matter what they don’t have in the way of worldly material things, they have what is all powerful, ever merciful, protective, loving and caring. They have total trust in the love of Christ! I have often said that I do not need any thing, that I could be perfectly happy living out of a tent hunting and scrapping for food. As long as there is God I need nothing. Trust God. He will provide…what loving father would not give everything to their children?
God said to Jeremiah, “Cursed is the one who trusts in human beings, who seeks his strength in flesh, whose heart turns away from the LORD.”
“Blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose hope is the LORD.”
Paul said to the Corinthians in 1Cor 15:19: “If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are the most pitiable people of all.” Amen to that!
The Psalm this week is Psalm 1: Blessed Are They Who Hope In The Lord
In Christ,
Elaine