“Blessed are they who hope in the Lord”
We are now in the 6th week of ordinary time, the Christmas season is behind us, and Lent is fast approaching. We are in the middle of a liturgical change of seasons, and our reading from the prophet Jeremiah asks us to reflect on the change of seasons in our spiritual life.
Jeremiah, in a surprising turn, reminds us that the lack of seasonal change (in life and in our spiritual lives) is a sign of a heart that is not close to the Lord. “Cursed is the one who trusts in human beings…he is like a barren bush in the desert that enjoys no change of season.”
There is something sterile about a natural climate with no seasonal change, and there is something sterile about a life or heart that has no seasonal change. This is consoling and challenging.
Sometimes I wish for my spiritual life – and my personal life – to remain changeless, like the image of the still waters and peaceful fields of the Psalms. Yet we know that our human lives and spiritual lives will undergo changes, joys, pains, struggles. Faith might be strong in certain moments and weak in others; suffering may be a part of our life for a time, or we might be in a season of rejoicing. Regardless of what season we are currently in with the Lord, the prophet reminds us that it is not the external climate of our lives that matters, but the source of our trust that will help us thrive even in challenging times.
“Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose hope is the Lord… he is like a tree planted besides waters…it fears not the heat…and in the year of drought it shows no distress, but still bears fruit.”
In this 6th week of ordinary time, let us pray and reflect on the state of our hearts in reference to our trust in the Lord. Are our hearts soaked in a trust and hope in the Lord that waters us no matter the season of our faith or life? If not, let us pray for the grace for an increase in trust and hope in our Good God so that we can bear spiritual and moral fruit no matter the climate.