Word to the Wise
Sunday, February 26, 2017 - 8th Sunday in Ordinary Time - A
[Isa 49:14-15; 1 Cor 4:1-5; Matt 6:24-34]So do not worry and say, 'What are we to eat?' or 'What are we to wear?' All thee 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. [Matthew]
When I was an undergraduate student so many years ago, MAD Magazine began publication and often featured a character named Alfred E. Neumann, who had a silly grin on his face and said, "What? Me? Worry?" One could only envy him. I confess to being a "worry warrior" of sorts! I don't worry much about what Jesus says in the way of food/drink or clothes or shelter or health care. I am blessed with wonderful family, friends, religious community and ministry. But I worry more about what is happening to family and friends and community and ministry! I say the rosary every morning on my walk and have a long mental list. Yes, I worry about them. But, I know there are people in refugee camps around the world who do not know what they will have to wear or eat or if someone will care for them if they get sick or will the next aircraft drop a bomb on them! The scale of worry for me is certainly different than theirs.
It takes a lot of faith and trust to put everything in God's hands and keep putting one foot in front of the other each day. In addition to loving our enemies, Jesus tells us not to worry about the basics of life. This is what makes the Sermon on the Mount one of the most challenging religious documents I know of. It might be an interesting exercise to sit down and make a list of what we "worry" about. Here in Lubbock, at Texas Tech, students worry about grades, finances, future jobs, family issues. Parents worry about mortgages, children, health care. Yes, there are also people here and, I'm sure, in your community, who do not know where their next meal is coming from. Jesus reminds us later on in the Gospel of Matthew that if we help these homeless, hungry, thirsty and sick people, we are helping HIM. Maybe that would be a good way to take our minds off whatever we worry about? AMEN
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