On many calendars, this Sunday is Valentine's Day but on the church calendar it's the Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time and the last Sunday before Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent.
Like a tree planted beside the waters
that stretches out its roots to the stream...
that stretches out its roots to the stream...
You'll find this Sunday's scriptures and commentary on them here if you're shepherding youngsters to Mass, you'll find hints for helping children prepare to hear the Word here.
Sunday's first lesson, from Jeremiah, offers a descriptive contrast between the one who is cursed and the one who is blessed (not by circumstances but by where one places one's trust: in the Lord - or not). Paired with this text is Luke's version of the Beatitudes (blessed are you...) which contrasts with a list of Lucan "woes."
The intervening text from 1st Corinthians continues Paul's corrective instruction on the Resurrection.
Jeremiah and Luke offer us a good introduction to Ash Wednesday and Lent just ahead for us: how will we use this holy season that we might be numbered not among the cursed but among the blessed.
Image by Mike Monahan, used with permission.
every day (around midnight) I receive an Outward Bound Quote of the Day by email-
ReplyDeletejust now the quote I received was this:
"Animated growth, like trees, never proceeds in straight lines. Trees are not like the walls of a house, they adjust to the living conditions of wind, sun, soil and rain."
It made me think this was kind of like the first reading...
in a way...