FIRST READING
2 Chronicles 24:17-25
After the death of Jehoiada, the princes of Judah came and paid homage to King Joash, and the king then listened to them. They forsook the temple of the LORD, the God of their fathers, and began to serve the sacred poles and the idols; and because of this crime of theirs, wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem. Although prophets were sent to them to convert them to the LORD, the people would not listen to their warnings. Then the Spirit of God possessed Zechariah, son of Jehoiada the priest. He took his stand above the people and said to them: “God says, ‘Why are you transgressing the LORD’s commands, so that you cannot prosper? Because you have abandoned the LORD, he has abandoned you.’” But they conspired against him, and at the king’s order they stoned him to death in the court of the LORD’s temple. Thus King Joash was unmindful of the devotion shown him by Jehoiada, Zechariah’s father, and slew his son. And as Zechariah was dying, he said, AMay the LORD see and avenge.”
At the turn of the year a force of Arameans came up against Joash. They invaded Judah and Jerusalem, did away with all the princes of the people, and sent all their spoil to the king of Damascus. Though the Aramean force came with few men, the LORD surrendered a very large force into their power, because Judah had abandoned the LORD, the God of their fathers. So punishment was meted out to Joash. After the Arameans had departed from him, leaving him in grievous suffering, his servants conspired against him because of the murder of the son of Jehoiada the priest. He was buried in the City of David, but not in the tombs of the kings.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM
Psalm 89:4-5, 29-30, 31-32, 33-34
R. (29a) For ever I will maintain my love for my servant.
“I have made a covenant with my chosen one, I have sworn to David my servant: Forever will I confirm your posterity and establish your throne for all generations.”
R. For ever I will maintain my love for my servant.
“Forever I will maintain my kindness toward him, and my covenant with him stands firm. I will make his posterity endure forever and his throne as the days of heaven.”
R. For ever I will maintain my love for my servant.
“If his sons forsake my law and walk not according to my ordinances, If they violate my statutes and keep not my commands.”
R. For ever I will maintain my love for my servant.
“I will punish their crime with a rod and their guilt with stripes. Yet my mercy I will not take from him, nor will I belie my faithfulness.”
R. For ever I will maintain my love for my servant.
ALLELUIA
2 Corinthians 8:9
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Jesus Christ became poor although he was rich, so that by his poverty you might become rich.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GOSPEL
Matthew 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.”
REFLECTIONS:
What does the expression serving two masters and
being anxious have in common? They both have the same root problem
being divided within oneself. The root word for anxiety literally means
being of two minds. An anxious person is often tossed to and fro and
paralyzed by fear, indecision, and insecurity. Fear of some bad outcome
cripples those afflicted with anxiety. Its also the case with someone
who wants to live in two opposing kingdoms God's kingdom of light, truth,
and goodness or Satan's kingdom of darkness, sin, and deception following
God's standards and way of happiness or following the worlds standards
of success and happiness. Who is the master in charge of your life? Our
master is whatever governs our thought-life, shapes our ideals, and controls
the desires of our heart and the values we choose to live by. We can be
ruled by many different things the love of money and possessions, the
power of position and prestige, the glamor of wealth and fame, and the
driving force of unruly passions, harmful desires, and addictive cravings.
Ultimately the choice of who is our master boils down to two: God or mammon.
What is mammon? Mammon stands for material wealth or possessions or
whatever tends to control our appetites and desires.
There is one master alone who has the power to set us free from slavery
to sin, fear, pride, and greed, and a host of other hurtful desires. That
master is the Lord Jesus Christ who alone can save us from all that would
keep us bound up in fear and anxiety. Jesus used an illustration from nature
the birds and the flowers to show how God provides for his creatures
in the natural order of his creation. God provides ample food, water, light,
and heat to sustain all that lives and breathes. How much more can we,
who are created in the very image and likeness of God, expect our heavenly
Father and creator to sustain not only our physical bodies, but our mind,
heart, and soul as well? God our Father is utterly reliable because it
is his nature to love, heal, forgive, and make whole again. Jesus taught
his disciples to pray with confidence to their heavenly Father: Give
us this day our daily bread. What is bread, but the very staple of
life and symbol of all that we need to live and grow. Anxiety is neither
helpful nor necessary. It robs us of faith and confidence in Gods help
and it saps our energy for doing good. Jesus admonishes his followers to
put away anxiety and preoccupation with material things and instead to
seek first the things of God his kingdom and righteousness. Anxiety robs
the heart of trust in the mercy and goodness of God and in his loving care
for us. God knows our needs even before we ask and he gives generously
to those who trust in him. Who is your master God or mammon?
Lord Jesus, free me from needless worries and help me to put my trust
in you. May my first and only concern be for your glory and your kingdom
of peace and righteousness. Help me to live each day and moment with trust
and gratitude for your providential care for me.
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