Jeremiah 17: 5-8
Psalm 1 1-4, 6 ; R 39:5
1 Corinthians 15: 12, 16-20
Luke 6: 17, 20-26
The first reading, from Jeremiah, reminds us to put our faith in the Lord, not in works of man, and on “things of the flesh,” which are arid, like dry scrub in the wilderness. Instead, we are advise to put our trust in the Lord, for then we “will have no worries in a year of drought, and will never cease to bear fruit.”
These are wise words indeed, but we could also do well to remember that works of the flesh are not the only works of man. Sadly, the same can be said of the institutional church, which in its teaching on sexuality is also arid and devoid of life giving sustenance. However, if we pay attention instead to the words and example of Christ himself, and develop through our prayer life a personal relationship with Him, we too can find a source of life-giving nourishment, and “shall never cease to bear fruit”.
