The Gospel of Matthew, chapter 6:30

The lesson in today’s scripture passage is that God provides for all those in His care. Jesus was concerned, not only with people’s spiritual health, but also with their physical well-being. Once the disciples wondered aloud how they would feed those who had been listening to Jesus in the hot sun all day long. They were surprised when Jesus performed the miracle of the loaves and fishes which fed everyone with a lot more food left over.

In today’s gospel, Jesus tries to put people’s minds at rest concerning all the ‘stuff’ that people fret and fuss about. Such worrying, He assures us, doesn’t “add a moment to your lifespan”. He urges us to replace anxious care about what doesn’t matter with thoughtful care about what does matter. What does matter is that we “seek first His kingdom” and everything else will fall into place.

The prophet, Isaiah, also cut right across the anxious fuddy-duddies of his day by making it clear that God is more committed to us than a mother to her child: “even should she forget, I will never forget you.”

The theological truth is that we are not ignored; we remain the center of God’s concern if we trust in Him. If a great chasm exists between us and God, it is we who have moved, not God. He never breaks his covenant with us.

We are invited in today’s scripture to think about God’s providential care. If we tell ourselves and our families that we are in charge, maybe we’re not. Maybe we are focusing on the wrong things: money, power, prestige, and image. Maybe our families have caught on to this but do not know how to tell us, or maybe they are swept up in the same rat race.

The people who first listened to Jesus fretted over what little they had as much as we fret about what we have or lack, regardless of how much or little that may be. We need to take inventory and jettison those attitudes that are not consistent with our vocation to do God’s will. Then our souls will be at rest for we will find ourselves right at home where we belong.

This is a very important message for people today when lives are full of uncertainty. We are battling uncertainty over the economy; over losing a job, paying bills, the cost of insurance, and making ends meet. The Lord tells us not to worry; “every hair on our head is counted.” We are that important to Him! His providential care, which takes care of the birds of the air and the critters of the forest, will take care of us.

So, don’t fret or worry about what tomorrow will bring. Live one day at a time.

Fr. Hugh Duffy