In our Gospel this weekend Jesus speaks in a very challenging and uncompromising manner when he states that we cannot serve two masters. In a wealth of poetic imagery he points out the danger of seeking security in material possessions rather than putting our trust in God who can be relied upon to provide everything we truly need. The risk we take when we spend too much time in the pursuit of worldly goods is that God gets precious little space, is easily forgotten and is pushed into the background. The problem facing us is that the world we live in encourages us to set our hearts on acquiring more and more and to seek security in possessions. Our worth is measured in what we own irrespective of whether we have acquired it honestly or at the expense of pushing people aside and treating them shabbily in the process.
Greed can get to the best of us! It so easily becomes a vicious circle because the more we have the more we want. We fail to remember that a time will come when everything we own and cherish so dearly will have to be left behind. On that day human approval will count for nothing! All that will matter then is how we measure up to God’s judgment in the way we have treated others in the use of his gifts. Because of the constant danger of becoming immersed in the affairs of the world Christ calls for a detachment from material goods with an invitation to a lifestyle based on simplicity and dependence on God. This will mean standing back and turning our thoughts heavenwards so that we can truly get our priorities right. Sometimes it takes illness or a hospital bed to make us realize who the master truly is. In order to relate properly to people we may have to empty ourselves of our selfish desires and personal ambition.
We could reflect for a few moments on what influence and bearing God actually has in our lives. The answers can be found in the respect we have for other people and the importance we attach to the image-building symbols of status, power and prestige. To trust in God does not mean sitting back and acting irresponsibly as if food, money and clothes are unimportant. Without food there is no life. Without clothes the body is naked and grows cold. Jesus is not advocating reckless living. As stewards of creation we must make good use of our human resourcefulness and plan our lives in a responsible manner. However, worry and anxiety, which arise from being too concerned with our own welfare and security are such a wasted effort and betray an outlook which is not based on a deep faith or befitting a disciple. Constant fretting takes all of the joy from life and wears out mind and body. Trust in the Lord who cares for the whole of creation gives us a freedom of heart, a deep inner peace and a realization that we are truly loved! We are made for God and our hearts are restless until they rest in him!