Our Hope is built on the Resurrected Christ

Jer. 17:5-8, 1 Cor. 15:12.16-20, Lk 6:17.20-26. On this Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C, the Church invites us to place our trust in God and in His only Son Jesus Christ. Through His resurrection, Christ conquered death and strengthened our faith and hope of eternal life. While today's first reading begins with a very strong warning against not trusting in God, the Gospel begins with a blessing for those who are ready to do God’s will. The beatitude is a great song which calls us to a life of virtue, reflection and total surrender to the will of God. These blessings are for those who are totally and willingly ready to place everything in God’s hands. The beatitudes also remind us that all we do and work for here will gain us eternal life. That is, if we do them well and for the sake of God.

Jeremiah succinctly reminds us of the consequences of trusting solely on our abilities and human beings: “Cursed is the one who trusts in human beings, who seeks his strength in flesh, whose heart turns away from the Lord". Through this, we are reminded that all these will fail us because, our success and survival do not depend solely on them. However, we must not forget that, it is God who sustains, confirms and blesses our ways and efforts. In the second reading, Paul equally makes the same point. Our hope must not be totally placed on this world or on our efforts alone, but on Christ who through His resurrection has strengthened our hope of eternity. Hence, Paul tells us: “If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are the most pitiable people of all". In other words, life does not end here. There is something beyond this world and only our hope in our resurrected Christ will take us there.

May the Lord increase our faith and renew our hope as we put our confidence in Him! Amen!! Good morning and happy Sunday!!!