"Blessed are they who hope in the Lord."

This Sunday's readings are all about having hope, which is fitting for this Jubilee Year of Hope that has been declared by Pope Francis! The readings begin with a passage from Jeremiah where the prophet speaks of the folly of trusting in human beings. While it is, of course, good to trust our friends and our family, ultimately humanity regularly disappoints. However, Jeremiah extols the goodness of hoping in God, telling us those who do are 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 second reading, from St. Paul's first letter to the Corinthians, we are reminded of the great hope that comes from the resurrection of Jesus. He reminds us that "if Christ has not been raised, your faith is vain; you are still in your sins." Essentially, Paul is reminding us that not only is Jesus' resurrection a source of hope for us, knowing that we too shall be raised, but so is Jesus himself! God sent his Son into the world to save us! God became a man! He lived among us, breathed the same air, felt the same emotions (though, without sin). His mercy is great because he is truly our brother in the flesh; because of this, there is great reason to have hope!

Finally, in the Gospel reading from Luke, we hear from Jesus' great teaching called the the Sermon on the Plain (based on its location in the story, and very similar to Matthew's Sermon on the Mount). In it, Jesus lays out some of the familiar beatitudes, extolling those who are experiencing difficulty and telling those present to "Rejoice and leap for joy on that day! Behold, your reward will be great in heaven." However, Jesus then speaks of woes, or curses, for those whose lives are filled with comfort and ease. All of this should serve as another source of hope for us! So often when things go wrong in our lives, whether unemployment, relationship struggles, divorce, financial issues, etc., people feel shame and lose hope. However, Jesus reminds us that even in the midst of struggle, God is with us! And even if things don't get better in this life, if we allow our struggles to draw us closer to God, there is great cause for hope, for your reward will be great in heaven!

So, this week, let us pray that we all may grow in our ability to have hope! God is with us, especially in the midst of our struggles. Do not put your hope in human beings, who often boast and oversell what they can offer or who let us down. No politician, self-help guru, or personal trainer is going to save you; God has already sent his Son, who died and rose again, for that purpose! So have hope that what God has promised will be fulfilled!

Want to prepare your heart and mind for Sunday's Mass? Click here to find the readings.