The One We Should Put Our Hope and Trust In

   

Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

26 January 2025

 

First Reading: Nehemiah 8:2-4a, 5-6, 8-10

Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 19:8, 9, 10, 15

Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 12:12-30

Gospel: Luke 1:1-4; 4:14-21

 

Reflection

By: Anton B. Ocampo

 

"Today, this Scripture passage is fulfilled in Your hearing” (Luke 4:21)". With these words that He states at the end of the Gospel reading, Jesus confidently introduces Himself to the people in Nazareth, His hometown, as the promised Messiah and Savior that God has promised to send. In doing so, Jesus stresses that everyone should place their trust and hope in Him.

As the promised Messiah and Savior, Jesus brings hope to all people. In spite of our unworthiness, He willingly came into the world to show all of us who we could place our trust and hope in - Him. This is what is being discussed in the Readings for this Sunday. Because of Jesus, we are all filled with hope. Without Him, there is no hope.

In the First Reading, Nehemiah and Ezra remind the Israelites that God brings joy and hope to all. He turns sadness and sorrow to joy and hope. God does not bring sadness and sorrow. Rather, He brings joy and hope to all. In the Second Reading, the Apostle Saint Paul reminds us that we, as Christians, are all part of the body of Jesus Christ. Therefore, just as how Christ brought hope to all, we must bring hope to all. The hope that we bring to all does not come from us. Rather, it comes from Christ. It is our duty and responsibility as Christians to spread the hope that Christ freely gives to all of us.

Just as stated in the Responsorial Psalm, God brings joy to the heart of those who hope and trust in Him wholeheartedly through His Word and precepts (Psalm 19:9). Those who truly hope and trust in the Lord God will continually receive the gift of joy from Him. Despite all the sufferings in life, they will still be able to find joy because they have wholeheartedly made the decision to put their hope and trust in Him.

Christ Jesus reminds us today and in each moment of our earthly lives that it is He that we should wholeheartedly put our hope and trust. As Christians, let us offer our wholehearted hope and trust to Him as a response to Him reminding us about the main reason why He came into the world as the promised Messiah and Savior.

Prayer

Merciful Lord Jesus Christ, You continue to stress to each and every one of us that it is You that we should hope and trust wholeheartedly. Despite the numerous frailties and shortcomings of each and every single one of us due to our human nature, You nevertheless continue to do so out of love and mercy for all of us. For this, we humbly thank You. Accept our hope and trust which we wholeheartedly offer to You. Amen.