Reading 1
2 Cor 12:1-10
Brothers and sisters:
I must boast; not that it is profitable,
but I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord.
I know a man in Christ who, fourteen years ago
(whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows),
was caught up to the third heaven.
And I know that this man
(whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows)
was caught up into Paradise and heard ineffable things,
which no one may utter.
About this man I will boast,
but about myself I will not boast, except about my weaknesses.
Although if I should wish to boast, I would not be foolish,
for I would be telling the truth.
But I refrain, so that no one may think more of me
than what he sees in me or hears from me
because of the abundance of the revelations.
Therefore, that I might not become too elated,
a thorn in the flesh was given to me, an angel of Satan,
to beat me, to keep me from being too elated.
Three times I begged the Lord about this, that it might leave me,
but he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you,
for power is made perfect in weakness.”
I will rather boast most gladly of my weaknesses,
in order that the power of Christ may dwell with me.
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.
34:8-9, 10-11, 12-13
Responsorial PsalmR. (9a)
Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.
The angel of the LORD encamps
around those who fear him, and delivers them.
Taste and see how good the LORD is;
blessed the man who takes refuge in him.
R. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.
Fear the LORD, you his holy ones,
for nought is lacking to those who fear him.
The great grow poor and hungry;
but those who seek the LORD want for no good thing.
R. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.
Come, children, hear me;
I will teach you the fear of the LORD.
Which of you desires life,
and takes delight in prosperous days?
R. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.
Gospel
Mt 6:24-34
Jesus said to his disciples:
“No one can serve two masters.
He will either hate one and love the other,
or be devoted to one and despise the other.
You cannot serve God and mammon.
“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life,
what you will eat or drink,
or about your body, what you will wear.
Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?
Look at the birds in the sky;
they do not sow or reap, they gather nothing into barns,
yet your heavenly Father feeds them.
Are not you more important than they?
Can any of you by worrying add a single moment to your life-span?
Why are you anxious about clothes?
Learn from the way the wild flowers grow.
They do not work or spin.
But I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor
was clothed like one of them.
If God so clothes the grass of the field,
which grows today and is thrown into the oven tomorrow,
will he not much more provide for you, O you of little faith?
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.”
Meditation: Matthew 6:24-34
Is not life more than food? (Matthew 6:25)
Do you remember Seinfeld, the TV sitcom that was wildly popular in the 1990s? Nine seasons, numerous awards, huge audiences—and, having earned almost three billion dollars in reruns, the most profitable thirty minutes in television history. All for “a show about nothing,” as the program billed itself—with episodes about trivial realities and annoyances, like shopping, waiting in line, and an unflattering shirt; with self-absorbed characters who never learn from their experiences or ask, “What’s life all about?”
Of course, there’s comedy in life’s ordinary moments and concerns. And because they can feel futile, it can be refreshing to laugh at them. But let’s not forget the big picture. “Is not life more than food?”—more than drink, clothing, and waiting for a seat at a restaurant? More than “nothing”? Jesus assures us that it is.
Our life, in fact, is about something so big that it’s hard to wrap our minds around it. God created us to know him, to share his life, and to be transformed into the image of his Son. It’s a destiny—an inheritance, a “weight of glory” (2 Corinthians 4:17)—beyond anything we can imagine.
And the way to receive it, Jesus says, is simply this: “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness” (Matthew 6:33). Try not to get too distracted by trivial stuff. Do your best to keep God’s heavenly plan in the forefront of your mind. Set your heart on receiving God’s love. Spend time every day returning that love to him and growing closer to him through prayer, service, and faithfulness to his calling.
The more determined you are in seeking first the kingdom, the more you will see the true value in all those “nothing” moments. As you offer them to God, doing them or even enduring them with love for him, you move his grand plan forward— even when it doesn’t feel so grand.
So today, as you do your errands, balance the checkbook, or wipe runny noses, lift up your head and remember: It’s not about nothing. It’s about the greatest “something”
of all!
“Father, I offer you this day. Help me to put you first as I move through it. May every minute become something beautiful for you.”
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