Readings:
Sermon:
They say that worrying can’t change anything - whoever ‘they’ are. But I’m not sure if I agree with ‘they’, er, ‘them’ (whatever!). My own experience is that worrying about something - anything - changes that thing in one very noticeable way. It makes it somehow a much bigger thing! For example, I am one of those men who worry about losing my hair. Well, baldness runs in the family! So I worry every time I see a grey hair lying around that it might be a sign that my hairy days are running out. I suppose at least I don’t worry about going grey. But just one tiny hair suddenly for me becomes a much bigger thing.
I know what you’re thinking: “if having to adopt a comb-over is all you have to worry about, I wish I only had your worries.” I do have other worries and yes I hear Jesus speaking directly to me from the Mount of Beatitudes when he says, ‘do not worry, saying, “What will we eat?” or “What will we drink?” or “What will we wear?”’. I am very conscious of just how strong the urges of consumerism are within me; the craving for junk food, the well entrenched drinking habits, the draw to certain brands and labels. But for the majority of the world’s population the worry is not about making wrong choices about food and drink and clothing, but rather whether there is any food or drink or clothing at all. The poor are always at the forefront of Jesus ministry. It’s no accident that Jesus begins the sermon on the mount with the words “Blessed are the poor in spirit.”
Whenever I have reflected on the Sermon on the Mount and today’s passage - often titled in our bibles, “Do Not Worry” - I have always found that Jesus’ wise words can put a smile on my face. Perhaps it’s because there is so much wonderful imagery and a beautiful rhythm and pattern to the message that this passage always sticks with me and resonates with me like one of my favourite inspirational songs. You might notice, however, that unlike Bob Marley’s song, ‘Don’t worry About a Thing’ Jesus doesn’t also say that ‘every little thing’s gonna be alright.’
Perhaps that’s why Matthew 6:33 in particular makes me smile. As the King James Version puts it, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” The essentials, what we need to eat, what we need to drink, what we need to wear, will - through the Grace of God being worked out in our lives - be provided. What we want - may be another matter. “All these things shall be added unto you.” It’s a promise. But is it a conditional promise? The first part or verse 33 might suggest so: “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things”. Does that mean that if ye seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, then all these things shall be added? And what is this kingdom of God and this righteousness of God that we have to be seeking if all these things are going to be added unto us?!?
I’ll leave you to ponder for yourself later what Jesus might be referring to in this passage with the phrase “kingdom of God” and “righteousness”. But I will answer - or try at least to answer - my slightly facetious question about whether striving first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness is a condition for all these things to eat and drink and wear to be given to us as well.
In the Church’s liturgical year and seasons we are in a bit of an in-between time. Today is, in fact, the first of the Sundays before Lent, and is called rather imaginatively ‘the Second Sunday before Lent’. Because it comes before Lent. But last week was the last Sunday of Epiphany. So why it is not instead called the First Sunday after Epiphany is another divine mystery that we won’t wrestle with today. Suffice to say, we are in an in-between time, between the two great Church seasons, the feasting season of revelational Epiphany and the fasting season of penitential Lent.
I have come to appreciate the wisdom and blessing of this ‘in-between time’ that acts as a transitional space between Epiphany and Lent. Our church life, our hymns and ways of worship are so contrasting that we need to pause and reflect and prepare to journey from one world of worship to another: from Epiphany with the gold and the candles and the crib and the gifts of the Magi to Lent - no extra candles, no flowers, no Gloria. Not even an alleluia!
So now is arguably the perfect time to reflect more deeply upon the contrast between abundance and sparsity not just in our Sunday Worship church services but in our lives in general. To have and to have not. Isn’t that what worry is often about after all? The fear of not having something? Especially something we need and have once had but have no longer. Or the fear of something bad happening. Or something good not happening. Those are the worry-filled tomorrows that Jesus is speaking about in Matthew 6:34. “So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own.” Jesus lived and breathed and worked; and Jesus hungered and thirsted and went naked. He lived and died the full human experience. So his appeal to us “Do not worry about tomorrow” is not a trite casual remark. It’s genuine pastoral care.
Psychologists advise that one strategy to deal with acute worrying is to redirect our thoughts and actions, to shift focus. Jesus is telling us in today’s Gospel reading that what we need to shift our focus to, is the kingdom and righteousness of God.
But it's not conditional. Let's go back to the beginning of the sermon on the Mount and Jesus' amazing opening words: “Blessed are the poor in spirit. For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. It's when we are poor; it’s when we are hungry, thirsty, naked, in need of the food, the drink, the clothing which God knows we need that we then receive the kingdom of God. There is no conditional access to that gifting. It's there by the very nature of our poverty, our longing, our desire, and our need, for our heavenly Father's provision.
So, the Next time I notice a grey hair of mine lying around, perhaps I should practice what I preach. Perhaps I should remember my sermon about the sermon on the mount. Perhaps I should hold on to the wonderful truth in Matthew 6:32 that my heavenly father knows my true needs. In fact, according to Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 10:30, my heavenly father knows the very hairs of my head are all numbered. It seems, however, their days might be numbered, too. Hmm, much better then, not to worry about things that decay and disappear, temporary things. But rather to focus upon permanent things. The Kingdom and righteousness of God. As eternal and steadfast as they are infinite and good.
“Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all these things shall be given unto you, allelu, alleluia.”
Questions:
- What characteristics of the kingdom of God or the kingdom of heaven are most important to you?
- What are the different ways that we can seek to understand or reflect the righteousness of God?
- Are there any examples in the Bible - or in your own life - that you can recall where worship has shifted the focus away from worry?