"WORRIES, WORRIES AND MORE WORRIES ...!"

Friday, June 22,2007

Gospel Readings: 2 Cor. 11:18, 21-40; Matt 6:19-23

St. Paul did a lot and he endured a lot. He gives us a brief summary of his life in our first reading today. Near the end he lets us know that he also worried a lot.“Leaving other sufferings unmentioned, there is that daily tension pressing on me, my anxiety for all the churches.”

Paul had converted many, he established Christian communities everywhere. But the more communities he founded the more people he had to worry about. Would they keep the faith or be influenced by false teachings? He had to revisit them to encourage them, he wrote many letters to remind them of the truth they had first been taught. “There is that daily tension pressing on me,” he admitted.

We all have daily tensions, don’t we? Few people live without them. But is it not true that much of the pressure and worry is about life in this world and much less from anxiety over life in the next? You and I are obviously concerned about our spiritual welfare. If we weren’t we wouldn’t be found in church right now. But much of our worry over ourselves and our loved ones comes from things relating to life here on earth. Jesus knows that and gives us some advice.

“Do not lay up for yourselves an earthly treasure. Moths and rust corrode; thieves break in and steal. Make it your practice instead to store up heavenly treasure, which neither moths nor rust corrode nor thieves break in and steal. Remember, where your treasure is, there your heart is also.”

We all could use more trust in Christ taking care of us. But if we are going to let ourselves be worry warts, and many of us will continue to be so, let it be over things that are the more worthwhile -the welfare of our souls more so than our bodies.