The Prophet Jeremiah spent his whole life trying to bring his people back to Yahweh, and convincing the priest and leaders that only faithfulness to Yahweh and trust in him could save them from their enemies.
In the first reading of today the prophet Jeremiah seems to have a blessing in one hand and a curse in the other. He curses the person “who put his trust in the man” and blesses him “who put his trust in the Lord”. The words “to trust in man” means to put one’s own trust in self, in money, and possessions, in people who are powerful in man’s eyes and so on. People who do so, feel that they hardly need God; they can do it by themselves. In a way such people make themselves gods and worship themselves. Jeremiah compares such people to a bush that grows in the desert: it yields no fruit, provides no shade, is full of thorns and hurts anyone coming near. On the contrary, people “who put trust in the Lord” are aware of their own weakness, but are convinced that God is ready to lend them his own strength at all times; they know what is to be at
the mercy of powerful and wicked people, but they knew that God Loves them and will save them from all dangers. For such people as these, says Jeremiah, the Lord is what a river is for a tree planted on to its bank: their life, their everything. And because such people know what suffering means, they are compassionate with those who suffer and are at all times ready to help others. in other words, such people yield fruit, good quality and abundant fruit, the fruit of brotherly love. The message of the prophet in today’s reading applies to us all: whether our life will be fruitless or fruitful, end in success or in tragedy, will depend on whom we put our trust in, whether in ourselves, in other people, or in the Lord.
This passage from Jeremiah serves as a background to the Beatitudes proclaimed by Jesus in today’s Gospel. Not even all the misfortune of the world put together can prevent God from rendering our life both happy and fruitful if we place our trust in Him.
The passage of the Gospel we read today is the beginning of a long discourse of Jesus which has been called the sermon on the mount. The first part of Jesus’s discourse had been given the name of “The Beatitudes”. The word “beatitudes” stands for “blessing”. This part of Jesus discourse, the “beatitudes” is found only in the Gospel of Mathew and Luke. Luke’s Gospel from which today’s passage has been taken gives only four blessings, followed by four woes or cursing, Mathew gives the first four blessing of Luke but adds four more. Jesus might have announced the “beatitudes” more than once, and that accounts for the differences between Mathew and Luke; these differences can also be explained by the way the words of Jesus were explained by different preachers to different Christian communities. But it seems like Luke gives
the original words of Jesus More exactly than Mathew.
The Phrase “stood on a level place” contrast with Mathew’s sermon on the mount, suggesting Jesus is accessible to all people, not just an elite group. The mention of Tyre and
Sidon (gentile region) highlights that Jesus’s message reaches beyond the Jewish community. Unlike Mathew, Luke says ‘poor’ rather than ‘poor in spirit’ suggesting a focus on literal poverty rather than just humility. The kingdom of God belongs to the poor implying a great reversal were worldly disadvantages leads to spiritual blessing. “Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you shall be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now for you shall laugh.” This echoes themes from the Old Testament (psalm 107:9) where God satisfies the hunger. Hunger and sorrow symbolize suffering, which will be overturned in God’s kingdom. Early Christian faced persecution, and
Jesus assured them of Divine reward. The title “Son of Man” emphasizes Jesus’s role as the messianic figure bringing God’s reign. “Rejoice in that day, and leap for Joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven, for so their fathers did to the Prophets”. Persecution aligns believers with the Prophets, affirming their faithfulness. “Reward in heaven” emphasizes future vindication.
Woe to you who are full now, for you shall be hungry, woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep. Jesus warns that earthly satisfaction can lead to future deprivation. This does not condemn laughter itself but a self-sufficient, pleasure-seeking life disconnected from God and justice. Woe to you, when all people speak well of you, for so their fathers did to the false prophets. Popularity and worldly approval can indicate compromise, true prophets often faced rejection whereas false prophets were praised. Gospel of today tells us that it is better for us to be poor than be rich. It is better for us to be free than attached to things or persons. It is better for us to trust in God than in human beings.