In the first reading from the Prophet Isaiah God says, “Can a mother forget her infant, be withouttenderness for the child of her womb? But even if she forgets I will not forget you.” This is God’s assurance to his people. He promises never to forget, us his people, at any time. In times of trial,the people of Israel often felt God had abandoned them. Nothing could be further from the truthsince, as Isaiah stated, the Lord’s love for his people is greater than that, a nursing or expectantmother has for her child. At times we face similar situations or difficulties in our lives when we feelGod has abandoned us but in today’s first reading from prophet Isaiah, God assures us that Hecannot forget us because his love for us endures forever. God is so compassionate and caringthat he cannot abandon us at any time.
The point Isaiah underscores here is that God NEVER abandons his people. His love for us goes beyond that of the attention a nursing mother has for her baby. What is demanded of us is total commitment and trust. As long as we entrust ourselves to him we have nothing to worry because he will take care of us in every way. But where does our lack of trust in God come from? Why are our cares often so anxious, our faith so small? The problem comes when we are distracted by other things and pay him divided attention. Our anxious care comes from half-heartedness to God. We want to trust God, but we want to serve mammon as well. It is on the basis of this, that in today's Gospel reading Jesus tells 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 our body, what you will wear. Can any of your worrying add a single moment to your life span?
Jesus in this passage uses the expression serving two masters and being anxious which have one thing in common: 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 crippled those afflicted with anxiety. Anxiety robs the heart of trust in the mercy and goodness of God and his loving care for us.
Jesus invites us to have that confidence and total trust in him. He knows our needs even before we ask and he gives generously to those who trust in him. Moreover, our worrying and anxiety can never add anything to our lives but rather worsen our situation. That is why we are called upon to resign ourselves to him and allow him take care of us. The divine promise is that if we give God our first priority in our lives, we can be rest assured that our needs will be supplied and there will be no need to worry.
He who trusts in God will not put an excessive amount of trust in money and will rather go the path of modesty and moderation. Mammon is an insatiable master. Whoever serves it never gets enough and runs into many worries. Whoever trusts in God will be content with the bare necessities and will thus find peace.
Whoever strives to serve God's will, moreover, experience time and again how closely and attentively God stands by him or her, even in the smallest things, and lets us know that he is our Father, who really cares for us, like no other. Let us be confident to take our cares, anxiety, and worries to him in prayer and he will never abandon us.
Happy Sunday to you all and may God richly bless your families.
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