VIII Sunday in OT:[A]: Is 49: 14-15; I Cor 4: 1-5; Mt 6: 24-34

VIII Sunday in OT:[A]: Is 49: 14-15; I Cor 4: 1-5; Mt 6: 24-34

Introduction:  We have arrived at the fourth and final section of the Sermon on the Mount before we begin the season of Lent this Wednesday. Today we get an invitation to avoid unnecessary worries by putting our trust in the love and providence of a merciful God, and then living each day’s life as it comes, doing His will and realizing His presence within us and others.  Criticizing the attitude towards money and material possessions, it warns us that we cannot serve God and money.

Exegesis: The word money used to be translated as Mammon. Mammon is an unusual but extremely old word and originally has an Aramaic origin which is reputedly the language that Jesus himself spoke. It literally means money and possessions but it has a negative connotation and so it actually means wealth in which one puts one’s trust and which could be classified as a false God.  Jesus uses the word slave to heighten the contrast between our relationship with God and money. According to him we should be a slave of God rather than a slave of money. Presumably he is implying that being a slave of God is actually a liberating experience, one which brings us true freedom and fulfillment, while becoming a slave of money means being oppressed by the weight of our material possessions and ending up captive to them. He knows how much our sense of security and satisfaction too often depend solely upon the fragile support of human effort alone. He wants us to realize that the only trustworthy support is God’s love for us. 

We can all think of people who place all their trust in material things whether they themselves are rich or poor. Pursuing the acquisition of possessions to the exclusion of other more spiritual values is something which ends up destroying our very humanity. A correctional attitude for Christians to adopt is to depend utterly on Divine Providence. He tells us that if we do so then God himself will ensure that we have enough to eat and enough to clothe ourselves with. 

Anecdote:1)   A University of Michigan study determined that 60% of our worries are unwarranted; 20% have already become past activities and are completely out of our control; 10% are so petty that they don't make any difference at all. Of the remaining 10% only 4 to 5% are real and justifiable, and we can't do anything about half of those. So, only 2% of our worries are real. 

2)A drunkard is searching for something under a street lamp.  A passerby asks: “What are you searching for?” The drunkard responds: “My house keys.” They start searching together. Ten minutes later a passerby asks: “Are you sure you lost them here?” The drunkard says: “I lost them over there, but there’s more light here”

We would listen to the sensible words of Jesus and notice how solicitous he is for even the smallest of creatures. It is the power of faith that enables us to tap into that divine source of goodness which consoles and liberates endlessly. Authentic faith is not limited to affirming the statements of a creed. Real faith is something that we pray for and yearn for. It is a gift that can change everything. 

Joke:  Four Catholic ladies are having coffee together. The first one tells her friends, "My son is a priest. When he walks into a room, everyone calls him 'Father'."
The second Catholic woman chirps, "My son is a Bishop. Whenever he walks into a room, people say, 'Your Grace'."
The third Catholic woman says smugly, "My son is a Cardinal. Whenever he walks into a room, people say, 'Your Eminence'."
The fourth Catholic woman sips her coffee in silence. The first three women give her this subtle "Well.....?"
She replies, "My son is a gorgeous, 6'2", hard bodied stripper. When he walks into a room, people say, 'Oh my God...'."

Practical Applications:   1) We need to avoid worry: a) By trusting in the providing care of a loving God. b) By acquiring the art of living one day at a time in God’s presence. c) By seeking God’s kingdom, doing His will every day and living a righteous life, serving others as best as we can.

2)It is said that Pope John XXIII, when visiting a group of seminarians in Rome and knowing that he was dying from cancer, said to them: ?My dear students. Every day is a good day-a good day for living and a good day for dying!? He could never have said that dying was a good day if he had not blessed every day in his long life, and by now have discovered that he can no longer change this habit. The implication is that one must take time in the easy days to bless the goodness of God’s world so that when the dark days comes one can scarcely know anything so clearly as the blessing of another good day.

3) We need to live one day at a time: Here are the three simple steps. First, we start the day with God by offering Him the day’s work for His glory. Then we ask for a 24-hour full-activation of the Holy Spirit, so that we may do good to others and avoid evil. In the second step, we live realizing God’s presence in every one we meet and renewing our awareness of God’s presence by saying some small prayers.  Taking the third step, we end each day with God. Before we go to sleep, we say, “Thank you, Lord, for walking through this day with me. I have wounded my soul today by my sins. Please pardon me. With your grace I shall be more faithful tomorrow. Good night, Lord. Into your hands I give my soul and my sleep."

Introduction: Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Message: Our heavenly father is with us, ever providing for our needs.  He is always mindful of us; in him we shall never be disturbed.  All should regard us as servants of Christ.

Saints and Events in this week: 3-Third-Monday-Saint Katharine Drexel, virgin; 4-Forth-Tuesday-Saint Casimir; 5-Fifth-Ash Wednesday-Obligation for Fasting and Abstinence; 7-Seventh-Friday-Saints Perpetua and Felicity, martyrs; 8-Eighth-Saturday-Saint John of God, religious.