Homily for June 23, 2018.
“Although the army of Aram had come with few men, the LORD delivered into their hand a very great army, because they had abandoned the LORD, the God of their ancestors.” 2 Chronicles 24:24.
Today’s Gospel passage is a natural follow-up to that of yesterday. Jesus told us yesterday to store up treasures for ourselves in heaven, a place where neither moth nor rust nor thieves can break in or destroy. Jesus could read the minds of the people listening to him, he knew how they were struggling to accept this teaching. He knew the question in their hearts: “If we direct our focus to heavenly treasures, how then are we going to feed, pay school fees for the kids, and take care of electricity bills, house rent, medicals and so on and so on?”
In response, Jesus tells us today “seek first God’s kingdom and his righteousness and all these other things shall be yours as well.” Matthew 6:33. In other words, Jesus is saying: “Relax, pursue God’s business and God will make you his business.” Serve God with your whole heart, don’t worry, God is not so irresponsible that he doesn’t know your needs. Trust God, make him your priority, concentrate on storing treasures in heaven (doing good deeds, helping the poor and needy etc.) and God will NEVER let you suffer.
How worried are you regarding your next meal, what you shall wear or where the money will come from? Do you believe deep down within you that having prayed, having told God your needs, God is actually capable of providing them? Do you rise from prayers feeling very relaxed or more agitated and afraid? Can you afford to stop doing that which you believe provides your daily bread because it involves sin? As a businessman for instance, can you afford to stop telling lies to your customers? How big is your trust in God’s divine providence? Your honest answer to these questions should tell who your real master is.
Our first reading today gives us an insight into the way God works. When God is involved, it becomes so clear that so and so could not have been possible without a hand from above.
Joash was the young king whose life was spared from the wicked Athaliah. His rise to power was made possible by a couple of brave men and women including a priest Jehoiada who risked their lives and succeeded in hiding him for seven whole years. Having risen to power, Joash became something else. He gave the command for the killing of Jehoiada’s son Zechariah who was simply trying to call the people to return back to God. with only a few men, the Syrian army massacred down the great army of Judah.
The Bible is filled with stories upon stories of God’s providence. From the miraculous birth of a children to barren women, to the miraculous crossing of the Red Sea by the Nation of Israel when the Egyptians were chasing after them, to the miracles of Jesus in the New Testament such as the feeding of five thousand with just five loaves and two fish, God continues to teach us a lesson in PROVIDENCE. The problem with us humans is that we don’t want to learn, we don’t trust God.
There is really no need serving a God we cannot place all our hopes in. There is no need calling Him our master when we are prepared to do anything for money. There is no need calling Him a friend when we cannot just relax after telling Him our worries. There is no need claiming to be God’s children when we cannot make him Number One in our lives when the things of God only take a secondary place in our daily schedule.
Let us Pray: Lord Jesus, teach me to seek you first, to do your work before I think of mine, teach me to trust you with all my heart and mind. Amen.
*Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you. (Saturday of the 11th week in Ordinary Time. Bible Study: 2 Chronicles 24:17-25, Psalm 89:4-34, Matthew 6:24-34).*
Fr. Abu
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