Eighth Sunday of Ordinary Time: Matthew 6:24-34
Here’s a little song I wrote
You might want to sing it note-for-note
Don’t worry, be happy
In every life we have some trouble
But when you worry, you make it double
Don’t worry, be happy Don’t worry, be happy now
– from the Bobby McFerrin song, Don’t Worry, Be Happy
Or, how about this?
When you feel sad, or under a curse
Your life is bad, your prospects are worse
Your wife is sighing, crying,
And your olive tree is dying,
Temples are graying, and teeth are decaying
And creditors weighing your purse…
Your mood and your robe
Are both a deep blue
You’d bet that Job
Had nothing on you…
Don’t forget that when you get to
Heaven you’ll be blessed..
Yes, it’s all for the best…
– from the song All For The Best, Godspell
So. As we used to say in the Eighties, how does that make you feel?
Those of you who were old enough to remember and appreciate those songs when they first came out are probably singing them to yourselves now. But how do they feel as a philosophy of life? How do they feel, especially when we are worried and anxious and troubled? Do they seem a bit too naïve? Like pie in the sky, by and by? Do they stop you from worrying or feeling anxious and upset? Even if they don’t, do they still feel like they are saying something important?
Jesus challenges us in today’s Gospel: “Do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink, or about your body, what you will wear.” What does that mean for people who are trying to support their families, pay mortgages, care for a sick relative, or who might be in some kind of trouble? Isn’t it only the wealthy who can afford not to worry? Is Jesus saying, “Hey, don’t be bothered with any of that stuff”? If so, then why not take what money we have, buy a hot tub, lounge around all day, and let God take care of the rest?
Well, not quite.
When some of the Thessalonians seemed to be reading Jesus’ words in this way, Paul reminded them of his personal example of hard work and declared, “If anyone would not work, then neither should that one eat”. Jesus’ life was certainly not free of work or pain. Jesus faced the agony of Gethsemane as well. On the other hand, Paul told the Philippians, “Have no anxieties at all… rejoice in the Lord”.
What is going on here, then?
One way to approach this question is to ask ourselves to whom Jesus is addressing these words. First of all, his disciples. They have left the only way of life they ever knew. They were mainly fishermen, as their fathers and grandfathers had been. Jesus has called them out of this familiar life into a new life, a life that was not at all clear to them at this point. Moving into the unfamiliar often yields anxieties and worries. Besides that, there were already signs of trouble brewing, as not everyone Jesus spoke to was accepting of him and his ministry. More storm clouds, more anxiety.
Jesus is also addressing the crowds. These were mainly Galilean peasants. They lived literally on a day-to-day basis, as they were paid daily for the work they did. They were vulnerable to the effects of illness and injury, the whims of their masters, and the whims of the Roman soldiers occupying the land. They only had their extended families to rely on in times of trouble. This vulnerability to forces seemingly beyond one’s control is another source of anxiety.
Then, there are the ever-present scribes and Pharisees, as well as representatives of the priestly families from Jerusalem. To them, Jesus is beginning to look like a threat to the established order, and a threat to their own position. He seems (to their eyes) to play fast and loose with some of the purity laws of the Old Testament. He has a definite appeal to the crowds. He could cause instability in the land, and thus give the Romans an excuse to become more harsh in their rule. Fear of the future, and the loss of one’s own status, are also sources of anxiety.
So, then, Jesus is addressing people who – like ourselves – have many reasons to worry and feel anxious. What does he offer them?
To understand Jesus’ teaching on worry and anxiety, we need to consider one more thing. Why do all the factors I outlined (and some others) create anxieties and worries in our hearts? Or, why do they increase anxieties that are already there? We surely need food, clothing, shelter, and income. The love and support of family, friends, neighbors and fellow Christians is a great source of strength. Books, music, art and creative activities of all kinds feed our minds and spirits. Work gives us a sense of satisfaction as we develop new skills and contribute to the common good. All of these are needed if our lives are to become genuinely human.
The problem, Jesus tells us, is when we start seeing even one of these things as more important than it really is. None of these things, as important as they are, can be the center of our lives. None of them are stable enough. None last long enough. None can go deep enough. When we try to make any of these the center, we soon find its limits. We realize that we are building our homes on sand. We get anxious. Or, we find ourselves split between two or more of these things. That doesn’t work, either. The core of our heart is made to be given over to One only. Anything else creates a hole, an unfilled space, and thus becomes a source of anxiety and tension. We cannot serve both God and mammon, as Jesus reminds us.
“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides.” Jesus calls on his hearers – including us – to keep God at the center. Our hearts are made for this, and this alone. Having God at the center does not eliminate worry and anxiety. But it places us in a position where we know that there is a Presence within us that is more powerful, more dynamic than any worry or anxiety. That deepest place in ourselves is given over to God. God becomes our foundation, our steady anchor, our GPS. Even if we find ourselves deprived of some human needs, we trust that God knows what we truly need. We can have faith that God’s steadfastness is stronger than the precariousness of our lives in this world.
Because of this, we do not simply lounge all day in our hot tubs (though a little hot tub treatment now and then can be a good thing). We can, with courage and compassion, witness to our faith in God and offer ourselves in service to the world. We know that it isn’t our own “successes” that count (freeing us from yet another source of anxiety), but that God can do wonders through our faithful service that go well beyond anything we have done. Let God handle “results”. May we trust that God truly loves all of us and knows what we need. May we trust that we ourselves are part of the way that God intends to bless and love all people and all of creation. Worry and anxiety paralyze us. They cause us to retreat into ourselves. They make us suspicious of others. They divide and scatter. The Holy Spirit is the Giver of Life. The Spirit pulls us out of the trap of our own worry and into loving and truthful service of God, humanity, and all of creation. In the Spirit, we know we have no need to fear. The One who overcame death itself is the One who walks with us on every step of our journey. Indeed, don’t worry – be happy – but in the Lord!