11th Week, Saturday, June 22
2 Chronicles 24: 17-25 / Matthew 6: 24-34
Zechariah speaks out; Zechariah was murdered by the people.
Jehoiada was the high priest who hid the royal infant in the Temple until he was old enough to be anointed king. When Jehoiada died, he was succeeded by his son Zechariah. When Zechariah stood up for what was right, the king whom his father had saved and anointed gave the order to kill him.
Jesus referred to Zechariah when he warned the religious leaders of his day that they were in danger of doing to him what their ancestors had done to Zechariah. Standing up for truth and doing what is right has never been easy. It wasn't easy for Zechariah in his day; it wasn't easy for Jesus in his day; and it still isn't easy for us in our day.
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How courageously do we stand up against evil? "Men reject their prophets and slay them, but they love their martyrs and honour those whom they have slain." Feodor Dostoevski
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It is dangerous to be a prophet who dares to speak out, particularly against the mighty. It cost the prophet Zechariah his life.
Too often, we worry much more than we should and about things that, after all, don’t matter much. Are not our fears and worries mostly about things and events of the future, and do they not usually prove groundless? We are in God’s hands. He who cares for the birds in the sky cares for us and knows what we need. Let’s be concerned, then, about making his kingdom a reality now; this is all that matters.
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I have analogue and digital watches and clocks. But my preference is the analogue timepiece. Not only do I know the time at a glance, there is also something worth reflecting about the ticking of the second hand. If we do some calculations, that second hand goes 60 ticks a minute, 3600 ticks an hour, 86,400 ticks a day, 604,800 ticks a week and 31,449,600 ticks a year.
Now that is a lot of ticking. Yet, that humble second-hand shows us something. It takes one tick at a time. That is what Jesus is telling us in today's gospel. Putting it simply, it is: Take one tick at a time. We don't have to worry about how many ticks we have to accomplish in a year, or in a week, or in a day or even in a minute. That is all taken care of by God.
What we need to do is to let love, joy, peace, patience, compassion, kindness, generosity start ticking in our lives. That is what is meant by setting our hearts on the Kingdom of God and on His righteousness.
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Opening Prayer
Lord God, our Father, you care about the birds in the sky and let them find food in due time. You clothe the flowers in the field with colours and fragrance. So why should we worry? We thank you for the gift of life, for loving us and caring for us free of charge. Keep us firmly in your hand on account of Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen
Intercessions
– For journalists and those in the media, who denounce the injustices and corruption in our world, that the Lord may strengthen and protect them and that we and all people may listen to them, we pray:
– For the poor and the needy, that they may experience something of God’s concern for them through the generosity of our hearts, we pray:
– For all of us, that we may not burden ourselves with unnecessary worries and artificial needs, but learn to entrust ourselves into the hands of a loving God, we pray:
Prayer over the Gifts
Our God and Father, you have set for us, your children, the feast meal of Jesus, your Son. You provide us with food and drink that give everlasting life. We offer you our life and efforts, our worries and our cares. Accept them as a token of our gratitude and of our deep and lasting trust in you, our loving God. We ask this in the name of Jesus, the Lord.
Prayer after Communion
Lord God, our Father, in this Eucharist, you have reassured us that you know what we need better than we ourselves do, and that you are with us through Jesus Christ, your Son. Let him always stay with us, that we may forget our self-created little worries and give first place to you and to your kingdom of mercy and goodness, of integrity and committed justice. Let these be our genuine concerns on account of Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Blessing
God really cares for us. If he cares for the birds in the sky and the flowers in the field, why would he not care for us? We are in his hands. May the God who loves you bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Commentary
22 June 2024; Matthew 6:24-34
Trusting Beyond Worry
In the Gospels, Jesus tells us to prioritize our relationship with God over our concerns and not to be overly focused on material possessions. In a world where many people are obsessed with gathering wealth, he advises us to make a deliberate choice to prioritize our spiritual well-being.
Remember that money and material possessions can sometimes become so important to us that they take the place of what is truly valuable. But it's important to know that God's love is more valuable than anything money can buy. In the Bible, Jesus tells us not to worry about basic things like food, drink, and clothes. He points out that birds don't plant or harvest, yet they are provided for by God. He also talks about how beautiful lilies are, even though they don't work for their beauty. So, we can trust that God will take care of us and provide what we need.
If God takes care of the birds and flowers so well, imagine how much he cares for you! He wants us to trust that everything we need will be provided. Instead of getting stressed about our everyday needs, Jesus tells us to focus on seeking God's way of life and doing what is right. He invites us to prioritise our relationship with God by seeking Him in prayer, Scripture, and acts of love. Tomorrow will bring its own concerns. Live fully in the present and trust that God's grace will sustain you.
Choose God over worry, seek His kingdom, and live each day with faith, knowing that He holds our tomorrows. May your day be filled with peace, purpose, and the sweet fragrance of divine love.
