Don’t Worry? Be Happy?

“So, listen to me. Don’t be anxious about need of your life, like what you’ll eat or drink, or like what clothes you’ll wear. Isn’t life worth more than food you eat and your body worth more than clothes you wear? 26 Look at the birds in the sky. They don’t plant and harvest their grain, then store it in barns. But your Father in heaven feeds them. Are you more important to God than those birds? 27 Which one of you can make your life a minute longer, just because you worry? 28 Why are you so concerned about the clothes you wear today? Think about the flowers in the fields and how they grow. They don’t weave clothe to make clothes. 29 But, even when he was at the height of his power, King Solomon could not put on finer and more colorful robes than what one of these flowers have. 30 If God dresses up the grassy meadows today, then allows people to burn them in the furnace tomorrow, won’t he take the effort to dress you, you who trust him so little? 31 So, don’t get upset and say, “What are we going to eat today” or “What are we going to drink today?” or “What clothes are we going to wear today?” 32 People who don’t believe in God worry about that stuff. Your Father in heaven knows what you need. 33 Search for God’s Kingdom first and his will. Food, drink and clothing will be given to you. 34 Don’t get upset about tomorrow. Tomorrow will worry about itself. The problems you face today are enough.” Gospel:  Matthew 6:24-34

This  Gospel reading reminded me that we must think deeply about God’s teachings, and not take every word quite so literally nor twist for our own benefit. Essentially, the reading was telling us not to worry about material things such as clothes nor our bodies, but to appreciate the things we do have and the things God has given to us as gifts. Yes, you should care for your body, it is your personal holy temple. God has given us a magnificent gift to explore and share with others, not a lifeless shell accepting everything that comes our way. Exercise it, share it, feed it.

see you.

ML