Pod Apostle presents Father Michael O'Connor. This homily is based on The Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Lectionary: 78. February 17, 2019.

Reading 1 Jer 17:5-8

Thus says the LORD:Cursed is the one who trusts in human beings,who seeks his strength in flesh,whose heart turns away from the LORD.He is like a barren bush in the desertthat enjoys no change of season,but stands in a lava waste,a salt and empty earth.Blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD,whose hope is the LORD.He is like a tree planted beside the watersthat stretches out its roots to the stream:it fears not the heat when it comes;its leaves stay green;in the year of drought it shows no distress,but still bears fruit.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 1:1-2, 3, 4 and 6

R. (40:5a) Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.Blessed the man who follows notthe counsel of the wicked,nor walks in the way of sinners,nor sits in the company of the insolent,but delights in the law of the LORDand meditates on his law day and night.R. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.He is like a treeplanted near running water,that yields its fruit in due season,and whose leaves never fade.Whatever he does, prospers.R. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.Not so the wicked, not so;they are like chaff which the wind drives away.For the LORD watches over the way of the just,but the way of the wicked vanishes.R. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.

Reading 2 1 Cor 15:12, 16-20

Brothers and sisters:If Christ is preached as raised from the dead,how can some among you say there is no resurrection of the dead?If the dead are not raised, neither has Christ been raised,and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is vain;you are still in your sins.Then those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.If for this life only we have hoped in Christ,we are the most pitiable people of all.But now Christ has been raised from the dead,the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.

Alleluia Lk 6:23ab

R. Alleluia, alleluia.Rejoice and be glad;your reward will be great in heaven.R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Lk 6:17, 20-26

Jesus came down with the twelveand stood on a stretch of level groundwith a great crowd of his disciplesand a large number of the peoplefrom all Judea and Jerusalemand the coastal region of Tyre and Sidon.And raising his eyes toward his disciples he said:“Blessed are you who are poor,for the kingdom of God is yours.Blessed are you who are now hungry,for you will be satisfied.Blessed are you who are now weeping,for you will laugh.Blessed are you when people hate you,and when they exclude and insult you,and denounce your name as evilon account of the Son of Man.Rejoice and leap for joy on that day!Behold, your reward will be great in heaven.For their ancestors treated the prophets in the same way.But woe to you who are rich,for you have received your consolation.Woe to you who are filled now,for you will be hungry.Woe to you who laugh now,for you will grieve and weep.Woe to you when all speak well of you,for their ancestors treated the falseprophets in this way.”