A life without God leads to a form of slavery, while embracing the Beatitudes brings a higher level freedom and joy
Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time – February 16, 2025
Today’s readings invite us to trust more deeply in God: to work with God to make our ‘community’ a better place. This means to trust that, by following the Natural Law and Commandments given by God, we will not only have life but live it with more fulfilment.
This does not mean that we will avoid difficult moments, but that our faithfulness and actively working with God (Gospel), creates a renewed and happy community= Kingdom of God.
The First Reading warns us not to put your trust in man? Trust is a ‘confident expectation’ in someone or something and, secondly, a ‘strong belief’ in someone’s integrity.
There is something very human about wanting to trust people in power when they promise us something, because we all want a secure, happy life. However, power often corrupts us.
Around the world, people often place great hope in political promises, only to be disappointed. How do we ensure our deepest trust remains in God rather than in temporary human promises? Perhaps people feel they have no other option. However, today’s Gospel is a roadmap on how to place our trust in God.
Today’s Gospel is often taken simplistically, instead of understanding the radical call it is. Christians are not “yes Sir, no Sir, three bags full Sir” people. That is the life of a child. It’s an important phase we must all go through, but only so that we can build on that foundation of obeying the Natural Law and Commandments, and so transform the life of our community(s).
The Beatitudes are truths that help us become Disciples of Christ: not just passive Christians. The Beatitudes are an unbroken chain where each one links to the previous. The Beatitudes help condition our hearts; followed by conditioning our relationship with the Lord; and finally Beatitudes strengthen our relationships with others. www.gotquestions.org/blessed-hunger-thirst-righteousness.html
- Christians should be people on Mission, not child-like people who simple obey the rules. People who simply obey the rules are not fully alive, they have not reached the peak of what it means to be human and, therefore, rarely feel fulfilled and truly alive.
But embracing today’s Gospel, especially, opens the way to a truly fulfilled life.
What does it mean to be poor? It does not mean to live in poverty! God does not wish that on anybody: God provided sufficient resources in the world for all to share. But, our world has been infected by the evil spirit of greed. That is why people live in poverty.
To be happy and poor means to live simply within our means:
1) to work hard to meet our responsibilities, and appreciate what we have; and
2) being happy for others, and even assisting them to, achieve greatness.
Do I do my fair share of work? Do I pay taxes? Do I help those struggling to meet their needs? The Kingdom of God is peace, security and happiness for all, not for some.
Hunger refers not to food, but to what we desire most in our hearts: when young we often have base desires for food, sex and other pleasures. But we quickly discover (hopefully) that these do not last long and, deep down, we hunger for something more fulfilling.
In the past, with strong social ‘rules’, the desire for sex usually pushed people into marriage where both partners discovered the joys (and frustrations) of sacrificing for each other and for their children. But they also discover something more powerful, and fulfilling: by living their lives for the good of the other, and their children, a great satisfaction enters their lives.
The weeping referred to in the Beatitudes is not the sadness of losing someone or something, but a deep regret over our past sins. With deep remorse comes the moment of forgiveness and reconciliation, after which much joy and laughter will come.
We can think of family situations when a child lives in fear for the wrong they’ve done. Until they confess, they live an unhappy life: but after ‘weeping’, confessing and expressing sorrow, they suddenly come alive again: once more laughing, finding great joy in the family.
It’s not possible to reflect on all the Beatitudes in one homily, but we can take the following three as one: ‘being rich’ (wealth); ‘having my fill now’ (lazy); and ‘laughing now’. Many people like this become very sad in later life: but not for all wealthy people.
Those who use their wealth to assist and empower their community and neighbours, will always have consolation, never go hungry and rarely be sad: even if they lose everything. Why? Because their hearts are not full of money but full of their neighbours: as they have helped others, so will they be loved and assisted in the future when they need it.
This week, can we take some time to reflect on whether we are fulfilled and happy?
This week, the Beatitudes give an opportunity to move to a higher level of life and fulfilment: the question is, do we have the courage to make it happen?
By Gerard Conlan, OMI
