So, is it "Who do you trust?" or "Whom do you trust?" I know that
whom is correct (objective case) but it seems that
who is more and more commonly used (offending my grammatical ear). At any rate, that is the question before us today, "In whom do you put your trust?" Is our basic trust in the Lord or in other persons or things?
JEREMIAH
Our first reading today opens with a curse. Not too often do we see that! "Cursed is the one who trusts in human beings, who seeks his strength in flesh, whose heart turns away from the Lord." Jeremiah compares such a person to a "barren bush in the desert."
On the other hand, the one who puts his trust and hope in the Lord is blessed. Such a person is "like a tree planted beside the waters that stretches out its roots to the stream." This image is repeated in our Responsorial, Psalm 1.
GOSPEL
The gospel is Luke's version of the Beatitudes, different from that found in Matthew's gospel. Matthew has nine verses that begin with "Blessed are you." Luke has only four "blesseds" and then adds four "woes."
The poor, the hungry, the weeping as well as those who are hated and excluded - all are promised a reward. The rich, the filled, the merry and those who are praised - they will experience a reversal of their present state. This seems to be connected with how the prophets of old were treated. Jeremiah, who suffered greatly at the hands of the Jewish leadership, would be a good example.
1 CORINTHIANS
The second reading is St. Paul's teaching on the resurrection of Jesus as well as the general resurrection from the dead. Paul insists that both are certain, otherwise, "your faith is in vain, you are still in your sins."
Paul emphasizes his point in this verse: "If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are the most pitiable people of all." The fact that Jesus was raised from the dead is the pledge, the guarantee that some day we will also be.
WHERE IS OUR TRUST?
Our liturgical readings build our faith as we continue on our life's journey. We are tempted to be distracted and lose our focus. Today's readings impress on us that only the Lord is worthy of our complete trust. Ultimately, our faith comes down to this - Jesus our Lord was put to death for our trespasses and raised for our justification (cf. Rom. 4:25). Let us put our trust in him!