You cannot serve God and mammon

2 Cor. 12:1-10, Mt. 6:24-34. How often do we miss the message God would have for us because we focus in the wrong direction. Paul, after continual prayer and revelation from God, realises that the earthly problems and difficulties are nothing when we consider the awesomeness that God planned for those who seek Him. Today's first reading, Paul boasts of God's providence in his ministry, not of human power, abilities, greatness or achievements. As he admits, he was seriously bothered by “a thorn in the flesh.” Whatever the “thorn in the flesh,” means, it prompted him to turn repeatedly to God for help. Paul records that in answer to his prayer the Lord replied: “My grace is enough for you, for power comes to perfection in weakness” (2 Cor. 12:9). Knowing his weakness led Paul to discover a source of strength beyond any gift and talent of his own. His weakness led him deeper into prayer and dependence on God, as expressed in today's Gospel: “Don’t worry about tomorrow.”

Jesus is not saying we should not take anything seriously but not to set our hearts on trivial things. It is really about getting our priorities right, getting in tune with God’s priorities. That means we are not to spend so much time thinking about food, drink and clothing that there is no room in our heart for what God expects of us. Selfish desires lead to all sorts of trouble that will make us to have divided heart. Jesus frowns at, and condemns this dual allegiance as unfaithfulness: "You cannot serve God and mammon." Infatuation springs up as a major source of infidelity. Infatuation here refers to "a state of being carried away by an unreasoned passion, usually towards another person to whom one has fallen in love." This can also be the case with a material object. We sometimes get attach to the object of infatuation – it could be a car, clothing, house, ornament, gold or silver, title and position. Many a time, we literally appear unable to control ourselves; it is as if we cannot survive without this particular object, such that our whole heart is consumed by this object. For such persons, this particular object constitutes ‘a sacrosanct’, ‘an untouchable', that the object becomes a god. Today, Jesus reminds us not to compromise our wonderful relationship with God by other inordinate passion and attachment. We are challenged to entrust ourselves to God in a covenantal relationship as when we were baptised and not reduce this Father-child-bonding to ‘a second-choice relationship.’ We are encouraged to lay before our God the concerns and worries that lead us to unfaithfulness. Ours is a journey of ‘possessing all by losing all.’ We only need to consistently and honestly trust our Father who knows our struggles.  

May the Lord help us to always love Him with all our heart, strength and power and focus on His presence with us always! Amen!! Good morning and happy weekend!!!