Dear Parishioners of St. Jams:
Praised be Jesus Christ!
The Scriptures for this Sunday place each of us in one of two categories. We are either blessed or cursed; just or wicked; headed for beatitude or headed for destruction. Into which category do we fall? Is it arbitrary? How can we know how God sees us?
The prophet Jeremiah, the author of the first Psalm and our Lord Jesus Christ speak to the cause and effect necessity of following God’s law or not. Trusting in God in the midst of poverty, persecution, drought, weeping and other “miseries” place us squarely in God’s favor. Jesus assures us saying, “Blessed are you” (Lk. 6:20-24). Trusting in human beings, preserving our lives here below, the vain praise of men, comforting ourselves in material things and other “delights” are really signs of condemnation eliciting the dire warning from Jesus, “Woe to you” (Lk. 6:24-26).
God’s justice will be meted out. What will be your sentence? God’s word tells us where we stand here and now. Are we blessed in our trust in God or wicked in our trust in human beings? The way that mercy is extended and condemnation given depends upon the heart of the receiver. What would you like to receive from God, reward or condemnation? Where is your heart right now?
God bless you,
Fr. Geary
Saint James Catholic Church 