When things go well, faith is not difficult. Life's necessities are taken care of; we may have more than enough; we live convinced that our life is blessed. It is much more difficult to when life seems to be an endless series of adversities. Some of the Bible's major personalities had their faith sorely tested in the fires of adversity. Today's readings remind us, with the use of rich imagery drawn from nature, that God is still present to a troubled world. Our trust must be permanent and deep. Paul speaks of resurrection, as a linchpin of the Christian life. If Christ did not rise, we have no hope or forgiveness.
The reading from Jeremiah states the importance of trust in Yahweh by drawing on three familiar elements of Hebrew poetry. The first is the use of imagery drawn from nature, used so effectively in Hebrew literature. The person trusting in other humans (v5) is like a withering bush on the desert floor, bereft of water, left to fade into oblivion. The foolishness of trusting human resources is a frequent biblical theme, repeatedly sounded in the psalms (Ps 118:8f; 146:3f). The image of the person trusting in Yahweh as being a well rooted tree (vv7f), in close proximity to abundant water, is a strong and readily understood simile, also found in the psalms (Ps 1; 52:10).
Secondly, the passage makes use of antithetical parallelism, an important feature of Hebrew poetry. It is readily seen in the short mashal (proverb) wherein the two opposed sections of the verse make a single point. This is done by juxtaposing the positive and negative sides of the issue. Thus Proverbs 10:4 urges industriousness by stating that "the slack hand impoverishes; but the hand of the diligent enriches." The antithesis engages the imagination and elicits the conclusion from the hearer’s (reader’s) wit rather than by direct statement. The book of Proverbs offers many examples (e.g. Prov 10-11).
In Jeremiah 17, there is a simple expansion or development of the same antithetical form in contrasting the lot of the two types of "trusting" persons. Although, the descriptive imagery is more elaborate than in the shorter mashal, the antithesis is the basic genre in the passage (vv5 - 8). The conclusion emerges: deep-rooted confidence in God is the path to peace.
Thirdly, the antithesis makes use of the curses and blessings formula (Deut 11:26 - 31; cc. 27 - 28). It is used to conclude formal legislation. This is more than simple invocation of sanctions; the formula was considered an effective conduit of its sentiments. A blessing or a curse was taken with great seriousness in antiquity (e.g. Gen 27; Num 22 - 23); once uttered, it delivered fortune or misfortune. While eventually the form became more literary and poetic, it still carried a strong indication of future eventualities.
The psalm today echoes the reading from Jeremiah. There is the contrast between the good and the wicked, the similes of the tree and the wind-blown weeds, the differences between human and divine counsel. The psalm makes specific Jeremiah’s trust in the Lord in identifying it with love of Torah (v2), wherein true wisdom lies (Sir 24).
The message remains the same in the reading and the response. It is foolish to give priority to human (or, worse, evil) counsel. What alone matters is God-centeredness in life (v2), which ultimately will not disappoint (v6).
The Christians in Corinth had raised questions about the resurrection. Some saw the idea of a risen body as unsuited to an intelligent faith. The body was material and therefore unrelated to spiritual existence. Either they were deeply influenced by Greek thinking, which saw the soul as the only immortal principle, or they had so spiritualized the idea of resurrection that corporeality had been excluded. Paul takes lengthy issue with this view point (1 Cor 15), dealing with both the fact of resurrection (1-34) and the manner (35 - 58).
If there is no resurrection, the Corinthians cannot logically uphold Christ’s resurrection, which stands at the heart of the Christian kerygma (vvl2ff). In excluding Christ's resurrection, everything crumbles. There is no meaning to the faith, even the “enlightened” faith, which the Corinthians flaunt. It is Christ's resurrection that brings the forgiveness of sins and justification (Rom 4:24f). If Christ has not risen, then Christians remain in their original sinful state, while those Christians already dead have undergone a death that is total (Rom 5:12 - 14), a death without hope. The situation is dire and renders everything proclaimed and believed totally useless. Verse 19 may be rendered: “If in this life we who are Christians have only hope…”, thus comparing Christians with their Greek counterparts who hold some vague hope of resurrection. The conclusion, however, is clear; without the resurrection, as Paul emotionally states, we are indeed to be pitied.
However, the fact of the matter is quite contrary, Paul has proclaimed it, as have the twelve. It is a keystone of the faith. Christ has indeed risen as the prototype of what will occur in the after life of his followers (v20).
The Lucan blessings and woes are taken from his sermon on the plain (6:20 - 49), a parallel in abbreviated form to Matthew’s sermon on the mount (Mt 5 - 7). Some verses in today's reading are shared with Matthew (Lk 20b - 23), derived from a common source (identified as Q); others are distinctly Lucan (vv24-26).
The blessings and woes continue the Hebrew genre of blessings and curses, described in the above comment on the Jeremiah passage. The Lucan and Matthean versions of the beatitudes are quite distinct (for comment on the Matthean version, see the Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time-Year A). The blessings (vv20 - 23) clearly reflect Luke's over-arching concern with determined segments of society. The people described are people identifiable within the social order. Luke makes no explicit attempt to "spiritualize" the beatitudes, as does Matthew.
So that, in addressing his disciples, and through them a much larger audience of believers, Jesus speaks of the poor, the hungry, the grieving, and the hated and assures them that their present lot is not permanent. In the reign of God (v23), which is not solely to be identified with heaven, their circumstances will be different. Portions of the Lucan form of the blessings stand closer to the words of Jesus himself, e.g. the view of the poor as being central to Jesus' ministry (Lk 4:18). Others reflect editing adapted to situations in the early church (v22).
The “woes” on the contrary touch disciples who live in distinctly superior circumstances-the rich, the well fed, the carefree, the honored. Their lots, too, will be reversed. They are being challenged implicitly to recognize the authentic demands of the Christian life.
Both categories are strongly suggestive of Luke's parable of the rich man and Lazarus (16:19 - 31). The parable is really an extended commentary on Luke's blessings and woes.
Luke should not be pressed here to give answers to questions that he does not pose, e.g. what should be the moral values of the poor, who are the true poor, etc. His is a clear statement on the “haves” and "have-nots” of life and a clear reminder that the ultimate outcome will be measured by Christian standards, not those of the world. God's justice will be manifest in the context of the reign of God. The implicit moral catechesis of the narrative is a reminder of one's Christian responsibility to the needy and the unfortunate. In addition, there must be a willingness to suffer for Christ. The hatred experienced by Christian believers is but a repetition of what was endured by earlier members of God’s elect (v23).
The Lucan passage envisions sanctions, which are both temporal and eternal. But it loses its strength if given too much “other-worldly” emphasis. Christian men and women, of past and present, have been inspired by this teaching to give their lives for the emarginated and even to institutionalize their concern.
The passage also builds on the main thrust of the first reading. All Christians, even in their most difficult moments, must remain firm in their trust in the Lord's saving work (2 Cor 4:7 –11).
Two ideas suggest themselves as we reflect on this Sunday's readings. The first is that the way things are is not necessarily the way they should be. In his own way, Jesus was quite radical in speaking of a reversal of the accepted order. Luke's sermon on the plain clearly shows that Jesus felt that his greatest mission was to the poor and downtrodden. When considering the world of our times, that is a message that has implications for his followers.
Secondly,
there are moments when our faith falters and our trust wavers. We too may
wonder about the after-life. We may be inclined to doubt at times whether the
poor are any closer to a place at the world's table than they ever were. To be
human is to doubt. Yet through it all we continue to trust. In faith we take
Jesus at his word.
1. The church’s option for the poor.
2. Parish responsibility for those who mourn.
3. Sharing our food.
4. Personal and structural sin.
5. The Eucharist: sign of solidarity with the needy.
6. Resurrection of the body; life after death.
7. Justification by Christ’s resurrection.
8. Praying for the deceased.
9. Explaining the funeral liturgy.
10. Trust in the Lord and times of doubt.