6TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (YEAR C)

1st Reading          Jeremiah 17: 5-8

Psalm                     Ps. 1: 1-2. 3. 4 & 6 (R. Ps. 40:4ab)

R:// "Blessed the man who has placed his trust in the Lord"

2nd Reading       1 Corinthians 15: 12. 16-20.

Gospel                  Luke 6: 17, 20-26

BLESSED ASSURANCE

Peace and Goodness, Beloved. 

Today, the 6th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C) and the 3rd Sunday of February 2025, we have a couple of readings to reflect on. Let us take a quick dive into them.

The first reading is from Jeremiah 17:5-8, a relatively short but dense text, comparing the Cursed and the Blessed. The text is found within the larger Jeremiah 17, which speaks about sin, judgment, and redemption. However, we need to note that Jeremiah was written around the 7th century BCE. This was a time of great turmoil and spiritual decay in Judah (the southern kingdom of Israel). The Israelites had turned away from God and were worshipping idols, leading to moral and spiritual corruption. Textually, the first reading appears to be poetic and wrapped as wisdom literature within a prophetic book. The words are akin to those of Psalm 1, which describes and compares the Blessed and the Wicked. 

Jeremiah describes the "Cursed man" (ארר) first.  Remember that the first time "cursed" (ארר) was used in Scripture was in Genesis 3:14, and the Serpent was cursed first. Why? The Serpent turned man's desire for Divine will into Human will. The Cursed man, invariably, could be compared to the "Serpent-deceiver" who simply takes delight in the self and/or Human will. That kind of person, Jeremiah describes, puts his STRENGTH (זרוע) in man. The one who desires Human will over Divine will will, surely, put his strength in man. What kind of strength is that? The Hebrew word, "זרוע" (Zerúa), includes both physical and spiritual capability. It describes one who leans against another thing or person while exerting his total energy unto that object. 

The tragedy is what Jeremiah compares that fellow to: "a shrub in the DESERT". Nicely put, the Hebrew renders the word Desert as ערבה (ARABAH). What is that? The Arabah is a desert region in the Bible, referring to a plain or valley often characterized as dry and barren. Located in southern Israel near the Dead Sea, it was not known for agricultural produce in biblical times. The region is mentioned in several biblical passages, including Deuteronomy 1:7 and 2 Samuel 4:7. This is a dry place. It is a lifeless region. This is how the Cursed person is. He is very dry because he puts all his strength, physical and spiritual, in human will. The Cursed person is that person who chooses what is not God's.

What about the Blessed Man? Creating a sharp contrast, Jeremiah compares the Blessed Man, the man who trusts in the Lord and hopes in the Lord, to a Tree by the Riverside (Jer. 17: 7). While a shrub in the desert, in the Arabah, is dry and lifeless, the Tree, planted by the water course,  is full of life. This is borne out of the decision to trust in the Lord. While others are turning away from God and are becoming dry and lifeless, the Blessed Man stays with YHWH.

Notice that while the Cursed Man is compared to a shrub (or a bush), the Blessed Man is likened to a Tree. An essential difference between a bush and a tree is its root system. A tree can outlast a drought, and continue to bear fruit, whereas a bush cannot. The Blessed has deeply rooted his trust in YHWH.

The Gospel passage from Luke 6: 17, 20-26 is Jesus' Sermon on the Plain. There are two sides to his Sermon on the Plain — Blessing and Woe. Matthew 5: 1-12, while not having Woes, is a close parallel to this text from Luke. What fascinates in Luke's account is that "Jesus sat down with them and stood on a stretch of LEVEL GROUND" (Lk. 6: 17). Matthew simply says "he sat down" (Matt. 5: 1). What is the Level Ground?

The word “level” often refers to places of corpses, disgrace, idolatry, suffering, misery, hunger, annihilation, and mourning (Jeremiah 9:22; 14:18; 30:4; Daniel 3:1; Joel 1:10, 20; 2: 22; 3:19; Habakkuk 3:17; Zechariah 12:11). The Greek word for LEVEL is "πεδινός" (pedinos) and it closely associates with the conditions of the Arabah. How then would Jesus be teaching people in this area when this area? Well, the content of his teaching will answer that. In the dry place, there is no life. Jesus spoke to them about Blessedness. A Blessed person is full of life. He intends to speak to hearts so that they might choose to trust in the Lord and be blessed rather than remain in the Plain and be lifeless.

Peace and Goodness.