He Knows

Greetings on this the Saturday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time
Readings: 2 Cor 12:1-10; PS 34:8-9, 10-11, 12-13; Mt 6:24-34
Note: W leave the letter Corinthians after today in the weekly readings. Next week Genesis.
First reading
My grace is sufficient for you,
for power is made perfect in weakness.

Paul reflects on the thorn in the flesh he suffers. We don’t know what that is exactly. Since he has been tormented by the SuperApostles in this letter possibly the person or persons they are.

Paul accepts the ‘No” of the Lord because the malady has a divine purpose derived from it. The divine doesn’t cause it but makes use of it. This is specific to Paul. It could be instructive to the rest of us, depending, but not a requirement for us to see our suffering the same way.

Paul responds:

Therefore, I am content with weaknesses, insults,
hardships, persecutions, and constraints,
for the sake of Christ;
for when I am weak, then I am strong.

Responsorial Psalm
Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.

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

Gospel Portion
Needs

• Food
• Drink
• Illness/health
• Clothing
• Shelter

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.

The anxiety over these things is unnecessary and actually makes us a slave to them. Anxiety over things is a mammon god. These are necessary and abundant on the Earth. Anxiety is normal under extreme circumstances and there are such circumstances for people. For the most part though not so. Jesus noted the ineffective nature of persistent anxiety. Even then, the extreme, trust his faithfulness to you under extreme circumstances as he is present helping in ways we cannot measure.

But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides.

Faith (trust that the Lord is faithful in his promise to you).

Peace be with you,
Deacon Gerry