Readings for Sunday, February 14, 2010

1st Reading, from the Book of the Prophet Jeremiah, 17: 5-8

Many have called Jeremiah “the prophet of doom”, and it is easy to see why. On his prophecies, repeating himself over and over, Jeremiah predicts the fall of Jerusalem. He asks the people to change their ways; he reiterates to them that God is very displeased with them and with their actions, and he warns them that heaven’s wrath is about to fall upon them.
At the time of the prophecies, the people of Judah are certain that they have God's favor on their side, and they do not believe for a minute, that destruction could ever be a possibility in their future. "This would never happen to us..." they think, "After all we are God's favorite ones; we are the chosen ones." They are convinced that God can never see them under a different light.

Despite the people's faults and their denial, Jeremiah asks them to consider changing their ways. He insists that if the people return to God, the change will allow us to become, once again, recipients of the Lord's trust. He reminds the people of Judah -and us, in present times-, that God is our real source of nourishment. We can always trust in the Lord, for He will never abandon us.

In an attempt to make the people understand how important God is, Jeremiah compares them, and us -the inhabitants of the world-, with a bush in the desert. And he explains that if we place our faith in God and live our lives following His teachings, our “roots” will grow deep down in the desert soil, allowing us to find nourishment and water. We will in turn, become better prepared to withstand bad weather and difficult times. And just like the desert bush which roots grow deep down, finding water and becoming strong, we will become strong too, nourishing our bodies and souls with the strength that only the faith in God can give to us. With that love and the trust in God we will be prepared to withstand harsh weather; and that same strength will helps us to survive those days, when life throws hard punches at us and we fear that we are not going to be able to make it.

So, let us not waste one more minute! What we have done -or have failed to do-, is in the past and it is there where it has to remain. Past actions, or lack of them, cannot be changed. The best we can do with our mistakes, is to use them as learned lessons, just so we don't repeat them again. And once we have learned, we must move on with our lives.

Therefore, at this time, when we read Jeremiah’s words of doom, we are to act upon his prophecies and put our trust in God Almighty. It is not too late to return to God’s path, of that we can be certain. We can trust Him. His love will feed us and make us stronger, and our faith will deepen so much that we will find nourishment and strength in that love. And when times get tough, our roots will be strong enough that they will be able to fight the winds of deception. And our roots will be able to reach deep down, finding God’s waters, the waters that contain within their current, the love of God our Father.

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2^nd Reading: 1 Corinthians, 15: 12, 16-20

On Sunday’s reading, the apostle Paul expands the topic of Jesus’ resurrection.

Through Scriptures we have learned that Jesus of Nazareth, the son of God, the Messiah, died on the cross. On the third day following his death, Jesus came back from the dead as the prophecies had foretold. Yes, Jesus resurrected, in flesh and body.

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At the time when the letter was written, the people of Corinth were experiencing a break from their faith. Their trust in God was wavering. So with his writings, Paul attempts to help the Corinthians to return to God’s path, and to understand, believe and accept the mystery of Jesus’ resurrection. His death and resurrection were a part of God’s plan. To prove his love to us, God used His son as an example, allowing him to die and to resurrect. He did this just so we could see with our own eyes, the miracle that is available to all of us. Why are we to doubt this?

The mystery of Jesus’ resurrection is the cornerstone of our Christian faith. Denying it is the equivalent of completely missing out on the joy of life after death. Perhaps God expected that some of us would doubt the prophecy, and so he promised a second coming. The second resurrection, as he promised, will be enjoyed by all of us. It will happen anytime, at any moment, in the future…

Christians are called to believe, without questioning, the fact that Jesus resurrected from the dead. No ifs, buts, or whys; plain and simple Jesus returned on the 3^rd day, proving to all of us that He is “the real deal.” He promised he would, and he maintained his word. If we get stuck on that Friday afternoon, at the side of the cross, and we refuse to move on to Jesus’ resurrection, we have missed the point. The train, mister traveler, has left you behind…

And like the 1^st reading teaches us to put our faith and trust in God, this reading reassures us that the end on the cross was just the beginning of the adventure of being a Christian.

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The Gospel according to Luke, 6:17, 20-26

On this Sunday’s Gospel Luke explains to the listeners that all sacrifices done to glorify the Kingdom of God will be rewarded. For those who follow God’s path, the reward will be in heaven. In contrast, those who choose to ignore God’s request to place their trust in Him, and instead place their trust in people, they will eventually have to face the fact that they have followed a false prophet. Those trusting in people will not be able to enjoy paradise.

Jesus is found at the Sea of Galilee, in the company of his disciples, along with people -Jews and Gentiles- who have come from places as far as Tyre and Sidon. The ones coming from far away have walked the equivalent of about 50 miles on foot. They want to hear Jesus’ good news. They have faith. And yet the news at first appear to be bad instead of good. The news talk about sacrifice and a life of dedication to proclaiming the word of God. The news don’t say anything about being rich on earth but instead the news praise poverty, hunger, mourning, and persecution. Is this possible? How can someone find happiness in circumstances like these?

True happiness can only be found throughout the Holy Spirit. Jesus, presenting us with his beatitudes, speaks from experience. Though he did not come to the world to be hated and poor, he knew that in openly accepting his faith he would be teaching us with his example. The more the world turned Jesus down, the more he opened up his heart and asked God to fill him up with strength and love. God offers us a kingdom so magnificent, that we will willingly endure hardship with the purpose of spread his word to others, just so them, us, everyone, can one day share eternal life filled with his love.

Readings for Sunday, February 7, 2010

1st Reading, Isaiah 6:1-2a, 3-8

Sunday’s first reading originates on the first part of Isaiah’s book, which reflects on Isaiah’s receiving the call to become a prophet, and on Isaiah’s call to the people and to the leaders of Judah, to become righteous and just. Isaiah warns the people, that failure to follow God’s will, can lead to the destruction of Judah.

Although Isaiah hears God’s call to become a prophet, he fears that his shortcomings would not allow him to do a good job. Upon hearing God’s seraphim singing a song of glory to God, Isaiah’s doubts soar like foam on a river rapid. He feels very unprepared. He fears that he is not ready for the task. The seraphim clean Isaiah’s lips with hot coal leaving him free of his impurities and ready to initiate his path as a warrior of God.

When God chooses His prophets, He is well aware of their histories, of their talents, and their sins. God, the Almighty, is our creator, and like such, knows our pasts fully well. When one of us is chosen to become a warrior of God, we are not chosen in error. God, in choosing us, is not making a mistake. He knows us inside and out; He knows us from before our conception, and if in doubt, ask Jeremiah “before I formed you in the womb I knew you…” God knows our thoughts, what is inside our hearts, our worries, and our delights.

God is all perfection, and He knows what He is doing when He chooses His prophets. In His infinite wisdom, He knows that the chosen ones will be able to step up to the plate, representing and defending the Kingdom of God with true and profound faith.

May we be able to share the same certainty that God has in us when he chooses his prophets.

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2^nd Reading: 1 Corinthians, 15: 1-11

Sunday’s second reading introduces us to Paul’s firm believe in God’s resurrection, which in turn will be followed by the resurrection of all the ones who lead their lives within God’s path.

After having presented the beautiful writing about the importance of love, Paul now reminds us that it is this true love for God, the reason why we must believe in the resurrection of the Christ. Because it is for His deep love of this world that Jesus gave up his own life, and for the same reason He came back from the dead: to ensure us that, upon leading a Christian life, we too will be able to share eternal life in Heaven, in the company of God.

We are called to serve Jesus, just like Paul was; like Jeremiah and like Isaiah. Our sins are forgiven and with a clean slate we are called to the service of the Lord. Let us rejoice in the fact that we have been called… Let us rejoice in the fact that we have heard the call… Let us act upon it... Let us become what we are called to be: the defenders of the Kingdom of God.

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The Gospel according to Luke, 5:1-11

Sundays’ Gospel, like the 1^st and 2^nd readings, is about a “call”: the call from God.

At the end of a work day, tired fishermen meet with Jesus at Lake Gennesaret. Despite all their efforts throughout the day, their fishing nets are empty. Jesus tells them where to move their boats and when to cast their nets. With great faith and as an example of remarkable humility, Simon does as Jesus instructs them. Lo and behold! The catch is so successful that their boats are at risk of sinking.

As children we know that is our duty to listen and to follow our parent’s orders. As we grow up and mature in age and understanding, it becomes harder to simply follow someone’s instructions. We know better; we are now developed individuals with minds and ideas of our own, so listening to someone’s instructions is no longer an easy thing to do.

On this particular day, a faithful and seasoned Simon leads by example, trusting and believing in Jesus’ guidance on how to perform a task that Simon has been doing for years. Simon, though an experienced fisherman, puts aside his own fishing experience. Instead, and showing no hesitation -just guided with faith and humility-, Simon does as Jesus tells him.

Our lives are like Simon’s fishing experience. We know them well; we have a plan for the future. And then, one unexpected day, Jesus starts to show signs of His presence on our path, He asks us to openly share the road with Him. Responding accordingly might not be an easy thing to do and yet, if we, by simple faith, decide to listen and to follow Jesus’ instructions, we can be sure that the road can only lead to eternal life in the company of our Lord.

May we be open to the call of God... May we hear it and respond to it, with faith, like Simon.