Seek First the Kingdom of God

Scripture Reflection for the Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time (February 27, 2011)

Scripture Readings:
Isaiah 49:14-15
Psalm 62
1 Corinthians 4:1-5
Matthew 6:24-34

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“It doesn’t really matter what happens to you in life. What really matters is how you interpret what happens to you.”

I don’t know how many times I heard Father Joe say those words, but it must have been a lot, because I still remember them and even quote them to this day. I was a seminarian at the time, and I was seriously trying to figure out what God was trying to tell me to do with my life; and when I would run into a problem or a conflict with one or more of my fellow seminarians, Father Joe was always there to remind me that what actually happened is not as important as the “story” that I tell myself (and others) about it. Too often I would find myself worrying and fretting and getting all caught up in my own problems, and sometimes everyone else’s too.

I was reminded of Father Joe’s words again this week when I read the Scriptures and this message about God’s unfailing fidelity and care for us. Isaiah presents a powerful impossibility-- that a mother could forget her infant-- and then goes on to say that “even if she should forget, I (God) will never forget you” (Isaiah 49:15). St. Paul tells the Corinthians (and us!) that what really matters is the motive of the heart and that God “will bring to light what is hidden in darkness”(1 Cor 4:5). The Gospel of course is a continuation of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount which we have been hearing for the past few weeks, starting with the blessing of the Beatitudes. This week we are reminded that worrying and fretting and being anxious are actually expressions of a lack of trust in God, even a way of “serving two masters.” I especially love the line says “your heavenly Father knows (what you need), so seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides’(Matthew 6:34).

The problem is that it is so easy for us to forget this simple lesson. Of course I believe that God is taking care of me and always has. Of course I can name any number of experiences from my life when my worries were unfounded. Of course I want to live in the here and now and not worry about tomorrow. But life has a way of throwing us curve balls, situations that threaten our peace of mind and heart, and it’s not our fault when that happens. Father Joe was right; it’s not what happens but how we interpret it that really matters.

Have you ever heard the story from the Cherokee tradition about the two wolves? A grandfather was explaining to his grandchild how in the heart of every human being there exists two wolves-- one good and the other evil. The two wolves are always there, and they are both always vying for our attention, trying to convince us of how to interpret our lives. After a long time the grandson looked up at his grandfather and asked him. “Grandfather, which wolf wins?” The old man smiled down at him and simply said, “The one you feed.”

Today’s Scriptures remind us that our life of faith is largely a matter of making that kind of a decision. To use an old image, sometimes we simply have to decide if the glass is half-empty or half-full, and that decision makes all the difference. This week let’s make a decision to interpret our own lives as half-full. Let’s decide that the kingdom of God is right here in our midst, no matter what happens. Let’s do what Jesus tells us and seek that kingdom and God’s righteousness. Let’s decide that everything that happens today is meant to happen, and the only thing that we have to do is respond with kingdom eyes.

Paz y Bien,

Father Ed