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Sunday, February 11, 2001

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6th Sunday Ordinary Time


Jeremiah 17:5-8
1 Corinthians 15:12, 16-20
Psalm 1
Luke 6:17, 20-26

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cussed out?

"Cursed is the man who trusts in human beings, who seeks his strength in flesh, whose heart turns away from the Lord." —Jeremiah 17:5

"Cussing" is a colloquial expression for "cursing." In jobs, schools, and even in families, there is a lot of cussing, that is, cursing going on. This cursing actually works. It hurts people and can even help damn them.

However, those who have been baptized into Jesus' death (Rm 6:3) are freed from all curses. Jesus "Christ has delivered us from the power of the law's curse by Himself becoming a curse for us, as it is written: 'Accursed is anyone who is hanged on a tree' " (Gal 3:13).

Yet we must live our Baptisms. We do this by not trusting in ourselves and other mere humans (Jer 17:5) but by trusting in the Lord (Jer 17:7). We trust the Lord to provide for us materially. Therefore, we choose to be materially poor in some ways (Lk 6:20), that is, to downsize our lives and to live below our means. We trust Jesus to be the Bread of life (Jn 6:35). Therefore, we hunger for righteousness (see Mt 5:6; Lk 6:20) and crucify the desires of the flesh (Gal 5:24). We trust God our Father to forgive us no matter what we've done. Therefore, we weep for our sins (Lk 6:21; see also 2 Cor 7:10). We trust the Lord to protect and resurrect us. Thus we choose to live the Christian life so boldly and radically that we are persecuted (Lk 6:22).

Live your Baptism by trusting the Lord in several practical ways. Don't be cussed out of God's blessings.

Prayer:  Father, may those cussing start blessing.

Promise:  "If our hopes in Christ are limited to this life only, we are the most pitiable of men. But as it is, Christ is now raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep." —1 Cor 15:19-20

Praise:  Praise Jesus, cursed in the crucifixion, blest in the resurrection!

Nihil Obstat:  Reverend Ralph J. Lawrence, August 9, 2000


Imprimatur:  †Most Reverend Carl K. Moeddel, Vicar General and Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, August 18, 2000