Sixth Sunday of Ordinary Time 2025

 

At the beginning of his new autobiography, Hope, Pope Francis shares a fascinating insight: the Spanish word esperar means both "to hope" and "to wait." 

Now, if you're like me, that second meaning might make you cringe a bit. We don’t like to wait, do we? Waiting is hard. In our world of instant gratification, patience often feels like a lost virtue.

Think about it. Have you ever stood in line behind someone with 50 coupons at the grocery store? Or sat in traffic when you're already late? 

I don’t know about you, but I start praying, "Lord, please part the Red Sea—just give me one more lane!" 

And don't even get me started on waiting for a slow Wi-Fi connection. We live in a 'next-day shipping' world, but God doesn’t operate on Amazon Prime!

In today’s first reading, the prophet Jeremiah challenges us to think about where we place our trust. 

He describes two types of people: those who trust in human strength and those who trust in God. 

The first group is like a barren bush in the desert—isolated and lifeless. 

The second group, those who trust in God, are like trees planted near water. Even during times of drought, they stay green and continue to bear fruit.

But here’s the catch—being that tree takes time. It doesn’t happen overnight. 

We need to stretch out our roots in prayer, scripture, and faith. And yes, this takes patience. Trusting in God means we may not see the fruits of His work right away, but we trust that they will come.

The responsorial psalm reinforces this message: Blessed are they who hope in the Lord. 

Those who delight in the Lord’s law are like trees that bear fruit in due season. Notice that phrase—in due season. Trees don’t bear fruit immediately. They need time to grow.

This reminds me of how God’s timing can feel like slow-cooking with a crockpot when we’d rather use a microwave. We want things done in 30 seconds, but God says, "Be patient—I’m slow-cooking something amazing here." 

And in the end, the meal is always better when it’s had time to simmer.

In the Gospel, Jesus gives us the Beatitudes, blessings for those who are poor, hungry, or mourning. 

He doesn’t promise that their situation will change right away, but He assures them that they are blessed because of the future reward that awaits them. 

In other words, He’s asking them to live with hope while they wait for the fullness of God’s kingdom.

Jesus also offers a warning to those who are rich, satisfied, and comfortable. 

He’s not saying that these things are inherently bad, but He is cautioning us against placing our trust solely in worldly comforts. 

If we cling too tightly to what we have now, we may miss the deeper joy that God offers—a joy that sometimes requires us to let go and wait.

So how do we live out this message of hope and waiting? 

Pope Francis is a great example. Throughout his life, he’s faced many challenges. Yet he has remained rooted in hope, trusting that God is always at work, even when the outcome isn’t immediately clear.

You and I are called to that same kind of hope. Maybe you're in a season of waiting—waiting for healing, for a job, or for a broken relationship to mend. 

Maybe you're waiting for a deeper sense of God's presence. In those moments, it's easy to get impatient. 

But the readings today remind us that those who trust in the Lord will not be abandoned. 

As Lent approaches, this is a good time to reflect on where we place our trust. 

Are we like the barren bush, relying on human strength alone? 

Or are we stretching our roots toward the living water of God’s grace?

Pope Francis’s words challenge us to embrace both hope and waiting as essential parts of our faith. 

When we trust in God, we are not just waiting around helplessly. 

We are actively rooting ourselves in His promises, knowing that He will bring about new life in His time.

So, as we continue our journey of faith, let’s ask ourselves:

Where do I place my trust?

How can I deepen my hope in God, especially when things aren’t going my way?

Am I willing to wait patiently, trusting that God’s plan will bear fruit in due time?

May we all learn to live with the hope that Pope Francis speaks of—a hope that trusts in God’s timing and sustains us through every season of life. 

So, keep the faith, folks! And remember, God may not work on Amazon Prime, but His delivery is always worth the wait. Amen!