Cycle A - Year I:  

26 February 2017: Eight Sunday in Ordinary Time

(Liturgical color: Green)

Gospel: Please read  Matthew 6:24-34

Total trust in God!

Two buddies were overheard conversing.  They seem to agree that the best argument to stay faithful to one's wife is to believe the saying that "one cannot serve two masters!"  Of course, it was said in gist, but the wise words have their biblical roots.

Kidding aside, what do we mean by the word "master"? Well, our "master" is that which governs our thoughts, shape our ideals, controls the desire of the heart and the values we choose to live by. Then we ask, who is the "master" in charge of our lives?

In the Gospel, Jesus tells His disciples that they cannot serve two

masters, meaning God and the world. It is not possible that someone wants to submit to God but also lives according to the world's standard of success and fulfillment.  The Gospel message helps us to review the relationship with material goods and present two themes of diverse importance, that is, our relationship with money, and our relationship with Divine Providence.

Because in practical life, we are ruled by many different things, like love of money or possession, the power of position, the glamour of wealth and prestige, the driving force of unruly passions and addictions. But ultimately, our choice boils down to two: either God or mammon. What then is "mammon"? It stands for "material wealth or possessions", or whatever tends to "control our appetites and desires."

From our experience we know that it is always a struggle to choose between God against the temptations of material things in our world. Especially if we are shortsighted    If Jesus is with us in the flesh today, how would He preach God's kingdom?, meaning we think only of the here and now, we readily choose wealth.

Yet, the truth is that material things no matter how enormous will surely disappear someday. It may stay with us and we can enjoy it for a period of time but eventually it will leave us or we will leave it. There is no security in material wealth.

Thus, Jesus tells His disciples that God alone has the power to set them free from the slavery of sin and fear. He uses an illustration from nature -- the birds and the flowers-- to show how God provides for them in the natural order of God's creation. So how much more can we, as God's children, rely upon God's providential care?

Of course, Jesus does not mean that we don't need to work hard to earn our living. He knows so well our material needs while in this world. What our Lord emphasizes is our total and complete trust that God will provide when we seek His help.

Every time we recite the "Our Father", we are reminded that God is our Provider when we pray: "Give us this day our daily bread". Because bread symbolizes the very staple of life, and symbol of all that we need to live and grow, in our world.

The parting words of our Lord Jesus in today's Gospel is heartwarming and reassuring: "Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all things will be given you besides.

A blessed Sunday to us all. And thank you for a moment with God.

Ad Jesum per Mariam!