The readings of this liturgy remind us that true happiness, or beatitude, lies in the awareness of who we are and of what we are supposed to do. They remind us that we are all children of a loving Father, and that we will be happy in this world and in Heaven only when we share our blessings here on earth with our brothers and sisters in need and work to uplift them, thus declaring our “option for the poor,” as Jesus did. In the first reading, prophet Jeremiah presents us with a contrast between those who trust in themselves and those who trust in God-the wicked and righteous. He reminds us that God is our refuge; he is our firm support at all times, at every age and in any situation. Nothing in this life can take away our peace of mind and interior joy because our trust is not in man, not in money, or power but in the Lord. Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord and puts all his confidence in him, it says. Such a person will be like a tree planted by the riverside which grows and bears fruits. Tragically, many people no longer believe and trust in God. Instead, they trust in themselves or on mortal things. Jeremiah tells us that we are actually cursed if we put our whole trust on mortal things. If we forget God and the things of God. For then, we will experience a great emptiness and barrenness in our lives. We might have everything that money can buy – But we will still be miserable in our deepest selves. Because nothing in the material world comes close to the possession of the infinite God of Love! And so, it is better to trust in the Lord than to trust only on material things. Our wealth, family and friends can fail us but God can never fail. Just like a tree planted by the side of a flowing river continues to live and bear fruits, so will the righteous who trust in God continue to endures the ordeals of life and bears fruits of holiness. Hence, true happiness and support come from the Lord who made heaven and earth. It is only in God that our soul and entire being will find rest, true peace and happiness. In today’s Gospel, Jesus instructs his disciples in the paradoxical blessedness of poverty, hunger, sorrow, and persecution. “Blessed are those who are poor, hungry, weeping, hated, excluded, insulted and denounced,” because in poverty, we recognize our dependence on God; in hunger, God’s providence; in sorrow for sins, reconciliation with God; and in persecution, the true joy of standing for the Faith with heroic convictions. What makes one blessed is not simply poverty or hunger or sadness or suffering for the Faith but living these in the context of one’s commitment to Jesus and his spirit of sharing. The Beatitudes consist in humble selflessness and compassionate, generous sharing of our blessings with the needy. The beatitudes must be understood as eschatological statements which see and evaluate the present in terms of the future glory and everlasting happiness. We need to respond to the challenge of the Beatitudes in our daily life. Millions are starving, persecuted, homeless, and leading hopeless lives. The only way the promises of the Beatitudes can become a reality for them is through the efforts of people like us. Hence, let us remember that each time we reach out to help the needy, the sick, or the oppressed, we share with them a foretaste of the promises of the Beatitudes here and now. Finally, the harsh words against the rich does not imply that richness itself is bad. Not at all! The sacred scripture says that, the earth is the Lord’s and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it… (Ps. 24:1-2). And so, to be rich is not bad. Instead, Jesus reaffirmed the prophesy of Jeremiah against those who trust only on material things, who do not believe in God, and do not believe in the life after death, and the judgement after death. They are the one who will mourn, grief and suffer eternally. Thus, the rich or any person, irrespective of his/her status, who lives according to the will of God will enjoy the blessed life in heaven.