Daily Catholic Lectio
Sat, 22 June 2024
Eleventh week in Ordinary Time – Saturday
2 Chronicles 24:17-25. Matthew 6:24-34
For tomorrow
A cursory reading of today’s Gospel reveals two sections: (a) We cannot serve two masters – God and wealth. (b) Jesus’ advice to let go of worry about tomorrow. On a cursory reading this passage appears to be divided into two sections, but a little deeper reading reveals the connection between the two sections.
What is that connection? One who serves wealth worries about tomorrow. But, one who serves is free from such worries and anxieties.
What is the meaning of ‘do not worry’?
(a) It is not Carvaka or Epicurean philosophy that says, ‘eat, drink, and make merry; there is no tomorrow.’
(b) It is not disowning planning for future.
(c) It is not passivity.
On the contrary it means …
(a) Believing that the Lord will take care. When Isaac asked Abraham, ‘Where is the sacrificial lamb?’ Abraham responded, ‘the Lord will take care.’ Though the Lord will take care, Abraham has to do what is demanded of him. Abraham’s faith vision was coupled with his actions.
(b) Letting go of our worries. In Italian, ‘worry’ is rendered by the word ‘preoccupazione.’ The word means ‘pre-sitting in a chair.’ What happens when we worry? Many thoughts pre-sit in a chair in our brain. As they occupy the seat, there is no room for other thoughts, especially positive thoughts and good thoughts. As a result, our brain is constantly worrying.
(c) Streamlining our priorities. We can have concerns. But, be concerned with the primary ones. If we categorize our needs into what is superior and what is inferior, we can get rid of worries about what is inferior. We should think that life is better than food and body is better than clothes and define and realize our needs accordingly.
Why is worrying about tomorrow redundant?
(a) Worrying does not increase the day of our life or a cubit in our upbringing. That is, there is nothing we can do. So, worrying is useless. Worrying is like traveling in a parked bus. However, we try, the bus won’t move.
(b) Anxiety causes distractions. Instead of engaging in one task, our mind keeps thinking about many things. This is how our energy is wasted.
(c) Anxiety turns our attention on us and freezes us there. It makes us forget the world, people and God outside of us.
The ultimate question we need to ask today is one question: Who do I serve? Wealth? God? Our worries depend on the answer that we give.
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He who serves God gives up tomorrow’s worries, lives today sweetly, and gives up his distractions. One who serves wealth wanders anxiously about tomorrow, and sees today as a burden, and looks distraught and agitated. (Jubilee 2025 AD, bite 131).
Fr. Yesu Karunanidhi
Archdiocese of Madurai
Missionary of Mercy
Yesu Karunanidhi 
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