Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time

From A Grateful Heart ……………………………….

“But woe to you who are rich,

for you have received your consolation.

But woe to you who are filled now,

for you will be hungry.

Woe to you who laugh now,

for you will grieve and weep.

Woe to you when all speak well of you,

for their ancestors treated the false prophets in this way.”

 (Luke 5:4-8)
 


This year we are in one of the three cycles of Gospel reading in the liturgical changes made at Vatican II; they are A.- Mathew, B.-Mark, and C.-Luke.

This year we are in “Year C” – so. We hear the reading from Luke’s Gospel.

In Luke 6: 20-26, this weekend, we hear Jesus preach a set of Beatitudes on the Plane (flat ground). Then, in “Year A” (next year) we will hear from Matthew’s Gospel – “The Sermon on the Mount”, Matthew 5: 3-10.

The difference and similarities are worth noting since Jesus meant both of them and it is good that we get to hear both as well since they don’t duplicate or contradict each other. Together they give us a great insight to living out the will of God – which we all seek to do!

This is the definition of “Ordinary Time” – a time to hear God speak to us through his WORD, Jesus!

I hear it all the time; “How can I do God’s will for me?”

The will of God is simple as to be available to the wise and the simple. Jesus does not talk to us in theological language or in twisted riddles. Here in these two “sermons” Jesus is straight forward in commending and consoling those that seek to be humble, simple, honest and merciful to everyone on a daily basis with solid prayer and petitioning to Him in prayer.

When Jesus speaks about the “poor, the hungry and the insulted” we might be tempted to think of human needs and actions. However, Jesus is going deeper – always deeper! He talks about the life of our soul, not just the body! After all, grace (God’s strength) comes to us in the soul for our benefit to be used in action by the body! The desire to “LOVE ONE ANOTHER” is an impossible task without the grace of God’s assisting love, mercy and consolation in all we do!

Let us listen this week and next week on the teaching of Jesus on how to act in His grace to love.

May Our Risen Savior Bless you!

Fr. Patrick Nelson, SDS

2025 – The Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time – February 16