Stop Worrying A/K/A Trust Love

Greetings on this the Saturday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time
Readings: 2 Chr 24:17-25; Ps 89:4-5, 29-30, 31-32, 33-34; Mt 6:24-34

Today and Tomorrow

The sacred gospel portions of today (Saturday) and tomorrow (Sunday) are tightly integrated. They are not continuous readings one to the other but of the same message. The message is this: Stop worrying, trust love.

Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.

Questions to Pondor

1. Are not you more important than they? (the sparrows)
2. Can any of you by worrying add a single moment to your life-span? (correct?)
3. Why are you anxious about clothes? (you are beautifully made, yes?).

Questions to Ignore

So do not worry and say:

1. ‘What are we to eat?’
2. ‘What are we to drink?’
3. ‘What are we to wear?’

Trust in the Lord

1. O you of little faith? (be of much faith!).
2. Seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness.
3. Do not worry about tomorrow.

Tomorrow’s gospel portion: The Calming of a Storm at Sea

Imminent danger is the biggest worry in the moment. The disciples can see plainly the risk of death by raging storm. They woke Jesus up: Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?

He woke up, rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Quiet! Be still!” The wind ceased and there was great calm. Then he asked them, “Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith?”

Summary

The first reading bring a focus vector regarding things TO WORRY about. Let us best summarized as I bring my own misery. They forsook the temple of the LORD, the God of their fathers, and began to serve the sacred poles and the idols; and because of this crime of theirs, wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem.

It is easy to get trapped in the as presented religious framework of proper worship as the major cause of our difficulties. Yet it is but symbolic of the actual issues of loss of love, fidelity and care for the human family (right-relation – righteousness). Hard to see in today’s first reading and for some even harder to see in the first reading tomorrow. The Lord addressed Job out of the storm and said: Who shut within doors the sea, when it burst forth from the womb; when I made the clouds its garment and thick darkness its swaddling bands?

Yet we must look beyond the moment or the intensity of our sensory inputs.

Looking Beyond

After the exile and the demise of Joash, Amaziah came and fixed his own behaviors. He did what was right in the LORD’s sight, though not wholeheartedly.
After Job’s difficulties, The LORD also restored the prosperity of Job, after he had prayed for his friends; the LORD even gave to Job twice as much as he had before.

Reflection

“Stop worrying!” can be a bruising command. Done poorly it is like telling a depressed person to “Get over it.” Or the grieving to “Stop crying.” Thankfully that is not what the Lord is doing. He is not trying to fix our behavior as a command to the command of the will. Rather he is asking us to will our openness to the divine: have faith in love.

Personal Reflection

I got my first social security check this week. Together social security with savings and investments should provide for a reasonable retirement. It is my responsibility to prepare for retirement, budget for expenses and act in accord with my resources. It is my responsibility to eat right, exercise and avoid unhealthy foods and lifestyle. But that is as far as it goes.

These things cannot have primacy over the command of Jesus:

1. Be of much faith! (O you of little faith?)
2. Seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness (in time, talent and resources)
3. Do not worry about tomorrow (live in the grace of the moments provided).

Then I can live in peace and arrive at the other side safely and without fear.

Sacred Scripture

Full link: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/062224.cfm

First Reading

Thus King Joash was unmindful of the devotion shown him by Jehoiada, Zechariah’s father, and slew his son. And as Zechariah was dying, he said, “May the LORD see and avenge.”

Responsorial

For ever I will maintain my love for my servant.

Gospel Acclamation

Jesus Christ became poor although he was rich, so that by his poverty you might become rich.

Gospel

So do not worry and say, ‘What are we to eat?’ or ‘What are we to drink?’ or ‘What are we to wear?’ All these things the pagans seek. Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides. Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself. Sufficient for a day is its own evil.”

Peace be with you,
Deacon Gerry