The readings last Sunday teach that a life without the Lord is ultimately a life without hope.

The Lord says through the Prophet Jeremiah: 

A curse on the man who puts his trust in man, who relies on the things of flesh, whose heart turns from the Lord. 

The example of the barren bush teaches that trust in human beings and the flesh at the expense of Our Lord is a withered life, that just limps along and subsists; it is a dry and arid life. To put our trust in human beings is futile because eventually we are separated from others by death. But if we put our trust in the Lord, then through the help of divine grace, we thrive in this life and the next.

St Paul in the second reading also teaches about the futility of a life without Christ. Jesus is like the well-placed plant that gives life to all of us, constantly and eternally. It is necessary though to have personal humility and to put our trust in God, seeking happiness and strength through prayer and the sacraments. The proud person is always insecure, unsatisfied and without peace. It is necessary for us to forget ourselves and think about pleasing God and serving Him in our neighbour. If God is dwelling in one’s soul, everything else, no matter how important it may seem is accidental and transitory. In God we stand permanent and firm, so it is important to forget about oneself, die to any disordered self-love and have purity of intention in doing everything to please God.

In the Gospel we hear St Luke’s account of the Beatitudes and the consequences of not living them and even ignoring them. We should try to speak as little as possible about ourselves, patiently accept difficulties and try to overlook the mistakes of others. When humiliated, accept the humiliation joyfully for Christ and cheerfully put up with even being despised by some for doing the right thing. All sufferings in life when offered up are redemptive and have a purpose.

This reminds me of the story of St Teresa of Avila, the great reformer of the Carmelite Order. She suffered much criticism and detraction in carrying out the reform, but she knew she was doing what God wanted, so she persevered despite opposition. St Teresa travelled extensively, laying the foundation for seventeen “discalced” (shoeless) Carmelite Convents, throughout sixteenth century Spain. On one of these trips, she was getting into a carriage after a long, tiring journey in the rain. But she slipped and fell in a large mud puddle. Her nice clean habit was soaked and dripping with mud. Exasperated she prayed: 

Lord why do you do these things to me, when I am only trying to help You? 

Jesus answered her prayer saying: 

This is how I treat all my close friends. 

St Teresa retorted: 

Then it is no wonder you have so few. 

It is true that Jesus loves us too much to let us deceive ourselves into thinking that we can have Heaven on earth. He always reminds us of our true destination. He is there waiting for us in the Church with His Sacred Heart, in the Eucharist. When we come before Him the Blessed Sacrament, He gives us refreshment, lightens our burdens, and enables us to gently die more and more to our own selfish will (the source of unhappiness) so that He can reign in us with His Adorable Divine Will (the source of every happiness), which is the greatest gift He can give us. 

Praise be Jesus Christ, now and forever.