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1.1saiah
49:14-16
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2.
1Corinthians 4:1-5
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Gospel:
Matthew 6:24-34
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"
To have money is not bad, but the attitude towards money is what is the
concern"
In our everyday life
money seems for many to be the absolute measure of value, for Jesus when money
becomes idolized it becomes the greatest enemy of the worthwhile. It is almost
twenty centuries since the prophet of Galilee denounced, in no uncertain terms,
the worship of money as the major obstacle holding humanity back from a more
humane coexistence. Jesus gave a clear reason that it is impossible to serve
God and money at the same time. Let's learn that God cannot reign as the father
of all, if justice is denied to those who are excluded from a life of dignity.
It is from this background that people who are dominated by the passion to
accumulate wealth cannot build the human world God wants so long as they
promote an economy that condemns the weakest to hunger and misery.
Pope Francis had this
to say more especially wealth accumulations," Not to an economy of
exclusion and iniquity, for that kind of economy kills. While Francis does not
offer any detailed economic analysis to explain his thought, he knows how to
summarize his indignation in clear and expressive words that could make
headlines in any country.
The cult of personal
prosperity and wellbeing can anaesthize us to the needs of others, and we grow
impatient if the market offers something we haven't yet bought, while all too many lives are stunted and cut short
for want of resources. (Pope Francis). Each of us needs to ask ourselves: What
am I doing, or what do I plan to do, to help those less fortunate than myself?
In our today's gospel
Jesus Christ teaches us about an assurance from God our heavenly Father, that
we should not worry since our Father at is always close to us whenever we fall
into temptations. On the other hand, this would not be practical principle to
apply in business or government, or the professions; as if one did not have to
plan ahead, study the details of a project and use all one's insight and
energies to bring things to fruition. It is under this background Jesus offers
a radical antidote to being overburdened by caution and afraid of the risks of
living. We really do need the sense that someone is up there looking after all of us. A lovely image of divine
providence is portrayed by Isaiah in the rhetorical question: "Does a
woman forget a baby at the breast? or fail to cherish the son of her womb? Yet
even if these forget, I will never forget you."
Why people worry: We worry when in our minds we try to bite off
more than we can chew. In a real sense worry does not solve the problems,
rather it is counterproductive. As Jesus asks in the gospel, "Can any of
you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life?( Mt 6:27). The answer of
course is no. Rather, worry can lead to a nervous breakdown, as well as in
diminishing life span of an individual.
How to overcome worry:
We overcome worry by living in the present moment, focusing on what we need to
do today, knowing that we can figure out how to cross tomorrow's bridge when we
get there. Jesus today teaches us to focus on the present and not on the
future, " Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself.
Sufficient for a day is its own evil" ( Mt6:34).
This question can be
put before us, that is Jesus teaching us to live a life without plans or not to
make provisions for the rainy day? No. He is rather teaching us the basic truth
of faith, "Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in
vain. Unless the Lord guards the city, the guard keeps watch in vain"(
Psalm127:1). Thus our plans for our life, security and welfare in the future
must start with our total submission to God. Just imagine, if God cares and
provides for lower creatures like the grass of the field and the birds of the
air, how much more will He care for us who are made in His own image and
likeness if we let him be the center of our lives?
Dear brothers and
sisters Jesus teaches us to replace our mundane concerns with one over-riding
concern: " Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all
these things will be given you besides"( Mt 6:33). God who gave us life
knows that life needs to be sustained.
God who gave us bodies knows that the body needs to be clothed and fed. The
best way to ensure a constant flow of gifts to us from the giver is to maintain
a good relationship with Him. This is only sure prescription to overcome worry
in our lives.
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