Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time
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February 11, 2022February 13, 2022
Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Jer 17:5-8
1 Cor 15:12, 16-20
Lk 6:17, 20-26
GROW AS A DISCIPLE | PRAY, STUDY, ENGAGE, SERVE
GROW: Luke’s account of the Beatitudes pulls no punches. Blessed are you … who are poor, hungry, weeping, when people hate you. These admonitions bear little resemblance to the pursuit of happiness as most of us know it: Striving for wealth (or at least stability), enjoying a good meal, sharing a laugh with friends, and being well-liked. These are things of this world, and Jesus tells us that pursuing them alone will not make us truly happy. I don’t think that means we need to wear sackcloth and ashes, or refuse to enjoy the great gifts with which God has endowed his Creation. However, Jesus’ words remind us that we won’t find lasting happiness even in the finest meal or the most lavish vacation, but rather in placing our lives in God’s hands. For the desire for happiness “is of divine origin: God has placed it in the human heart in order to draw us to the One who alone can fulfill it.” (CCC 1718)
GO EVANGELIZE | PRAYER, INVITATION, WITNESS, ACCOMPANIMENT
GO: It’s a little ironic that I am writing a reflection entitled “GROW and GO.” Few plants have survived my black thumb. That’s why I love the image of the tree in the reading from Jeremiah. One who trusts in the Lord “is like a tree planted beside the waters that stretches out its roots to the stream; it fears not the heat when it comes; its leaves stay green; in the year of drought it shows no distress, but still bears fruit.” These words from Jeremiah are a prophecy of hope, and hope allows us to accompany one another through the hills and valleys (and occasional dead plants) of our lives. We can become a source of hope to others by praying for and with one another and encouraging them on their own journeys of faith. In doing so, we help one another tap into the ultimate source of hope – the God who loves us.
STUDY: Read the Beatitudes and the Sermon on the Mount and reflect on how Jesus’ teachings draw us ever more to himself and highlight our baptismal vocation: holiness. What one thing can you bring to prayer and the sacrament of reconciliation this week to purify your heart?
