"Trusting God" - 6th Sunday in Ordinary time Homily by Deacon Ted

Today we read about the Beatitudes.

And these are Luke's version of the Beatitudes.

Four blessings and four woes.

In Matthew, we get nine blessings.

But Luke is direct.

Luke doesn't fancy up the words.

He doesn't say, those of you who are poor in spirit.

He says, those of you who are poor.

And to understand this, we really need to ask ourselves a question that was in the first reading.

Who do you trust?

In whom do you put your trust?

Why do I ask?

Because in the first reading it says, cursed is the one who trusts in human beings, who seeks his strength in the flesh.

Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose hope is in the Lord.

So who do we trust?

Blessings and Woes

Did Luke mean, did Jesus mean blessed are you who are poor because the kingdom of heaven is yours?

Did he mean at that time you who are poor at this moment?

and you who will be poor for the rest of your life.

We have to be poor the rest of your life to receive the Kingdom of Heaven as a blessing.

I would suggest that's not what he intended.

Because your life changes, our lives change.

We go through seasons.

We go through periods of poorness and sorrow.

And we go through periods of laughter and rich, being well-filled and not hungry.

I think the thread that would save us through all of this and help us to understand it is

When do you think of God?

I think it's easier to think of God when you're depressed, when you really need help, when there's no one else around to help you.

It's easier to think of God.

But when you're happy and full and laughter is exuding from your mouth, how often do you think of God?

Who do you trust?

And what do you put your trust?

That changes over your lifetime too.

In the beginning, as a little child, you trust your parents.

There is no one else you trust, just them.

You trust that they'll feed you, they'll clothe you, they'll take care of you, they'll teach you, and they'll protect you.

then you get a little older and you trust in your friends.

But friends come, friends go, and at the time it seems like that's where I need...

He's my bud, I trust him, he'll protect me.

Then you get a little older.

Maybe get married.

Now who do you trust?

Your spouse.

With your life.

Forever.

You trust them.

You say, I will be with you forever.

Then your spouse dies.

Through all those periods of your life, there is a constant.

God.

God is always there.

God is always there for you to turn to.

Whether you're sorrowful, or you're hungry, or you're hurting, or you're crying, you can always turn to God.

And God will be there for

We have to take the time to get to know God.

Just like we did our parents.

Just like we did our friends.

Just like we do our spouse.

We have to take hold of God and look Him in the eye and speak to Him and listen back to what He has to say.

Only by that connectedness will you know that God is always there for you.

If you're constantly on the treadmill moving from one success to another or one failure to another, you're not thinking about God.

And it's not natural for you to ask for him.

But he's always there.

When you come to church, you come a little bit early and stare at the tabernacle or at the cross, do you say, thank you God for being here?

Thank you God for allowing me to be here.

Or do you just sit down and kind of start zoning out and hoping the deacon stops preaching like you're doing right now?

Your relationship with God has to be personal for you to feel it.

God never changes.

It's we who change throughout our life.

It's we who go through different episodes in our life, which either requires more that we reach out to God or less.

But God is always there.

But if you are not personally connected to God, you won't know to reach out to him when you need to.

Who do we put our trust in?

Human beings and ourself, money, friends, employers, or God?

Because think of all those things and they come and go, but God is constant.

So trust in Him.

And as the gospel said, on that day you will rejoice.

For the Kingdom of God is yours.

I would be remiss if I didn't offer the opportunity.

The best way to come close to God is in adoration.

You've heard a lot about adoration over the last few months because we're building an adoration chapel and we need lot of adorers And we do need that.

But I need you to consider adoration as a way to get to know your God.

Because when he's in that monstrance, it's just you and him.

And those eyes of his are looking right at you.

And he's speaking to you and he's saying, talk to me.

What's in your heart?

What's on your mind?

And that's the time for that private conversation.

You may not be able to take his hand.

You may not be able to kiss his cheek.

But you can look in his eyes and know that God is always there for you.