TWO WAYS, TWO DESTINIES: THE CHOICE BETWEEN TRUSTING GOD OR THE WORLD
First Reading: Jeremiah 17:5-8
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 1:1-4,6
Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 15:12,16-20
Gospel: Luke 6:17,20-26
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Life is full of choices, and every choice we make carries consequences. The Jewish tradition, deeply rooted in the Torah and wisdom literature, often presents life as a path with two directions—one leading to life and blessing, the other to destruction and curse. This binary understanding of human destiny is clearly laid out in Deuteronomy 30:19, where Moses tells the Israelites: “I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your descendants may live.” This idea is not just an ancient teaching but a profound reality of human existence. Every day, we are confronted with choices: to trust in God or in human strength, to build on eternal foundations or fleeting securities, to live for God’s kingdom or for worldly gain.
Today’s first readings (Jeremiah 17:5-8), reflect this theme vividly. The prophet Jeremiah, reflecting the wisdom of Moses, describes two ways and two destinies—one of curse and one of blessing—based on where a person places their trust. In biblical thought, blessing is not just a temporary feeling of happiness but a divine reality that defines a person’s relationship with God. The Bible uses multiple words to describe blessing, each carrying different shades of meaning. The term “Barukh” (בָּרוּךְ) is used in Jeremiah 17:7 to describe the person who is blessed by God. It is a declarative blessing, often spoken by God or a figure of authority, and it signifies a divine state of favour rather than mere personal joy. Another common term, “Ashrei” (אַשְׁרֵי), is used in the Psalms and the Beatitudes of Jesus to describe a state of spiritual well-being, a condition of inner happiness rooted in trust in God. A third word, “Berakhah” (בְּרָכָה), refers to a blessing as a tangible gift or favour from God, as seen in Genesis 12:2 when God tells Abraham, “I will bless you and make your name great.”
In today’s first reading, we see that blessing (בָּרוּךְ – Barukh) and curse (אָרוּר – Arur) are not just emotions but states of life tied to one’s relationship with God. Jeremiah lived in a time of national crisis—the Babylonian invasion was imminent, and many Israelites were abandoning trust in God, seeking alliances with foreign powers instead. The people were placing their trust in human rulers, military strength, and political strategies rather than in Yahweh. This passage, therefore, serves as both a warning and a promise: those who trust in human power will be cursed (Arur) and become like a barren shrub in the desert, while those who trust in the Lord will be blessed (Barukh) and flourish like a tree planted by the waters.
The imagery is striking and reminiscent of Psalm 1 (the Responsorial Psalm), where the righteous are compared to a tree planted by streams of water, bearing fruit in its season, while the wicked are like chaff blown away by the wind. The contrast is clear. The cursed person, described as “Arur ha’gever” (אָרוּר הַגֶּבֶר), is cut off from divine favour, destined for destruction. The phrase from the First reading: “who relies on things of flesh” implies reliance on human power instead of divine providence. This person’s heart has turned away from the Lord, leading to a spiritual exile, barrenness, and ultimate ruin. In contrast, the blessed person, “Barukh ha’gever” (בָּרוּךְ הַגֶּבֶר), enjoys divine favour because he places his trust in the Lord. The image of a tree planted by water lays emphasis on stability, endurance, and constant nourishment from God. The person does not fear when difficulties come because their source of life is rooted in something deeper than circumstances. This is not merely a moral teaching but a covenantal reality—trusting in God brings life and security, while rejecting Him leads to spiritual emptiness.
This brings us to today’s Gospel, where Jesus also speaks of blessing, but with a significant shift. In Luke’s Beatitudes, Jesus says: “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you shall be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh.” Here, the word used in Greek is “Makarios” (Μακάριος), which corresponds to the Hebrew “Ashrei” (אַשְׁרֵי) rather than “Barukh” (בָּרוּךְ). “Ashrei“ is a state of happiness, spiritual well-being, and flourishing. Unlike Jeremiah, who speaks of blessing (Barukh) in terms of trust in God, Jesus deepens the meaning by showing that those who suffer for righteousness are truly blessed (Μακάριος). This is a paradox for the world. How can poverty, hunger, and sorrow be blessings? Yet Jesus reveals that true blessedness is not found in worldly wealth, security, or comfort but in dependence on God. The context was clear – Jesus lived in a world rooted in the social injustices, economic disparities, and power structures of first-century Palestine. The Roman occupation placed heavy tax burdens on the Jewish population, benefiting Roman officials, Herodian rulers, and the temple elite while impoverishing the common people. Most of Jesus’ audience were poor farmers, fishermen, and labourers, many of whom were in debt due to high taxes and land seizures. The wealthy elites—Sadducees, tax collectors, and landowners—controlled resources and often exploited the poor. In this setting, the rich were seen as “blessed” by society, while the poor were often despised and viewed as cursed or punished by God.
This economic injustice is one reason Jesus flipped conventional wisdom on its head by proclaiming: “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.” In the eyes of society, the poor were not blessed; they were struggling, humiliated, and often seen as abandoned by God. Yet Jesus declares them blessed, not because poverty itself is good, but because their dependence on God is what truly matters. Their hope is not in wealth or human strength but in God’s kingdom. Jesus’ message was revolutionary because it directly challenged the prevailing belief that material wealth was a sign of divine favour. Many Jews in Jesus’ time, influenced by Deuteronomic theology, believed that prosperity was evidence of righteousness while suffering and poverty were signs of God’s disfavour. This belief was further strengthened by the religious elite who accumulated wealth through temple offerings, land control, and collaboration with Roman authorities. Jesus directly confronted this system, showing that wealth is not the true measure of God’s blessing and that those who rely on it instead of on God will ultimately lose everything.
By pronouncing woes on the rich, the well-fed, and those who laugh now, Jesus was not condemning material wealth itself but the false security and complacency it brings. Those who are comfortable in this life, who place their trust in wealth, social status, and power, will find themselves spiritually impoverished in the life to come. This resounds the warnings of the prophets, particularly Jeremiah, who proclaimed that those who trust in human strength rather than in God are like a barren shrub in the desert. Just as Jeremiah warned of the danger of misplaced trust, Jesus does the same, showing that those who seek their reward in this world will miss out on the far greater blessing of God’s kingdom. Jesus’ words would have been shocking to His audience, especially to those who aspired to wealth and status as a sign of divine favour. His message was not just about personal spirituality but about the radical reordering of society in God’s kingdom. The Beatitudes and Woes reveal a reversal of fortunes, where the first will be last and the last will be first. This is a theme that runs throughout Luke’s Gospel, from Mary’s Magnificat, where she praises God for lifting up the lowly and bringing down the powerful, to Jesus’ parables that warn against greed and self-sufficiency.
Thus, Jeremiah and Jesus are not contradicting each other but revealing deeper dimensions of blessing: Jeremiah says that the blessed are those who trust in God, while Jesus expands this by showing that those who really trust in God were the poor, hungry, the weeping citizens, etc. In essence, these sufferings for righteousness lead to eternal reward. Paul, in the second reading (cf. 1 Corinthians 15:12,16-20), completes this by reminding us that the ultimate blessing is found in Christ’s resurrection. “If our hope in Christ has been for this life only, we are the most unfortunate of all people. But Christ has in fact been raised from the dead, the first-fruits of all who have fallen asleep.” In other words, our hope is not in earthly blessings but in the life to come.
This raises an important question for us: where do we place our trust? Many people today trust in money, social status, and human strength to provide security. But true security comes only from God, who is the living water that nourishes our souls. Jesus challenges our understanding of success, showing that true blessing is found in those who trust in God, even in the midst of suffering. We must ask ourselves: do we measure blessing by material prosperity or by our relationship with God? The truly blessed person is not the one who has much but the one whose trust is in the Lord.
Beloved friends in Christ, life presents us with two ways and two destinies. Do we trust in God and receive true blessing, or do we trust in worldly strength and face spiritual dryness? Jeremiah warns us, “Cursed is the one who trusts in man… Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord.” Jesus reaffirms, “Blessed are the poor, for theirs is the kingdom of God.” The choice is ours. May we choose the way of true blessing, rooted in trust in God, nourished by His Word, and fulfilled in Christ. Amen.
O that today you would listen to his VOICE, harden not your hearts! (Ps. 95:7)
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Shalom!
© Fr. Chinaka Justin Mbaeri, OSJ
Seminário Padre Pedro Magnone, São Paulo, Brazil
nozickcjoe@gmail.com / fadacjay@gmail.com
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Have you prayed your rosary today?
Thank you for the simplicities of the explanation. God bless