“HONEY FROM THE ROCK”
Daily Reflections
Saturday, 17th June 2017.
Tenth Week in Ordinary Time
Saturday Memorial of Blessed Virgin Mary.
2 Cor 5: 14-21;
Ps 103: 1-4, 9-12;
Mt5: 33-37.
WHO IS YOUR MASTER?
Today’s Gospel presents two themes of diverse importance: our relationship with money (Mt 6: 24) and our relationship with Divine Providence (Mt 6: 25-34).What does ‘serving two masters’ and ‘anxiety’ 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 indecision. Fear of some bad outcome usually cripples those afflicted with anxiety. It’s also the case with someone who wants to submit to God but also lives according to the world’s standards of success and fulfillment.
Who is the master in charge of your life? Our ‘master’ is that which governs our thought-life, shapes our ideals, controls the desires of the heart and the values we choose to live by. We can be ruled by many different things - the love of money or possessions, the power of position, the glamour of wealth and prestige, the driving force of unruly passions and addictions. There is one Master alone who has the power to set us free from the slavery of sin and fear. That Master is the Lord Jesus Christ.
Jesus uses an illustration from nature to prove that God is utterly reliable. In the Lord’s Prayer we are reminded that God is our provider when we pray: 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 God’s 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.
Prayer: Lord, help me to be a person who has You as my MASTER. For the times that I have been held back by money, things and anxiety, I am sorry. Help me to always be in accord with Your most holy will and always turn from the ways of error. Jesus, I trust in You. Amen.