{"id":411,"date":"2014-03-01T12:19:17","date_gmt":"2014-03-01T12:19:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.stmarys-tallaght.ie\/site\/?p=411"},"modified":"2014-12-18T11:12:20","modified_gmt":"2014-12-18T11:12:20","slug":"commentary20140302","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.stmarys-tallaght.ie\/site\/commentary20140302\/","title":{"rendered":"Commentary on 8th Sunday of the year 2.03.2014"},"content":{"rendered":"

TEXT<\/strong><\/p>\n

Two masters<\/strong><\/p>\n

24 \u201cNo one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.<\/em><\/p>\n

Do not be anxious<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

25 \u201cTherefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink, nor about your body, what you shall put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?<\/em><\/p>\n

26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 And which of you by being anxious can add one cubit to his span of life?<\/em><\/p>\n

28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin; 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O men of little faith?<\/em><\/p>\n

31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, \u2018What shall we eat?\u2019 or \u2018What shall we drink?\u2019 or \u2018What shall we wear?\u2019 32 For the Gentiles seek all these things; and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.<\/em><\/p>\n

Priority: the Kingdom<\/strong><\/p>\n

33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well.<\/em><\/p>\n

No anxiety<\/strong><\/p>\n

34 \u201cTherefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Let the day\u2019s own trouble be sufficient for the day.\u00a0 <\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

EXPLANATION<\/strong><\/p>\n

Verse 24<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cNo one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other.<\/em><\/strong>\u201d \u2014 These words sum up the teaching of this Gospel passage (Mt. 6: 24\u201334) \u2014 a person cannot give total allegiance to two opposite \u201cmasters<\/em>\u201d which will be God and wealth.<\/p>\n

The Greek word for \u201cserve<\/em>\u201d may be translated also as \u201cbe a slave to\u201d, that is give oneself entirely to another without any reservations or claims to rights. The meaning is that a disciple cannot have divided loyalty.<\/p>\n

\u201cMasters<\/em>\u201d may be translated as \u2018persons who have absolute authority\u2019. The translation can then be rendered as \u201cNo one can be a slave to two persons who have absolute, contradictory authority<\/em>\u2019.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cfor either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other.<\/em><\/strong>\u201d \u2014 As total allegiance is possible to only one of two \u201cmasters<\/em>\u201d, one will be hated and despised, the other loved and respected.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYou cannot serve God<\/em> and mammon<\/em><\/strong>\u201d \u2014 Total allegiance cannot be given to God and mammon, a word which means \u2018money, material wealth, possessions or what controls our lives such as our appetites and desires\u2019. These material things are the very opposite to God and are incompatible when the demand is for exclusive loyalty. (Mt. 19: 21\u201324). Material wealth and possessions are in themselves a false god when they are served by people who are enslaved to them.<\/p>\n

What this verse is teaching is that a person must love and serve God exclusively with a full heart and mind; there can be no divided allegiance. St. Paul teaches that \u201cmoney is the root of all evil<\/em>\u201d (I Tm. 6: 10)<\/p>\n

This is one of the temptations Jesus underwent in Matthew 4: 8\u201310: \u201cAgain, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them and he said to him, \u2018All these I will give you if you will fall down and worship me\u2019. Then Jesus said to him, \u2018Begone, Satan for it is written, You shall worship the Lord you God, and him only shall you serve<\/em>\u2019\u201d.<\/p>\n

In the Lord\u2019s Prayer<\/em>, which he taught in this chapter 6 (Mt. 6: 9\u201313), his fourth petition is \u201cGive us this day our daily bread<\/em>\u201d so that we will not be \u201canxious<\/em>\u201d about material matters but trust wholeheartedly in God our Father. Indeed, we can regard this present passage as a commentary on this petition.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Verses 25-33<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cTherefore I tell you<\/em><\/strong>\u201d \u2014 \u201cTherefore<\/em>\u201d shows that there is a direct connection between the previous verse which states that a person cannot be the slave of both \u201cGod and mammon\u201d<\/em> and what is to be said now concerning whole\u2013hearted trust in God.<\/p>\n

\u201cI tell you<\/em>\u201d is added as Jesus wishes to show that he is emphasising the \u201ctherefore<\/em>\u201d, the connection.<\/p>\n

\u201cDo not be anxious<\/em><\/strong>\u201d here forms an inclusion with verse 34 at the conclusion of the passage to show that the text between the two parts of the inclusion explains it.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cdo not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink, nor about your body, what you shall put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?<\/em><\/strong>\u201d \u2014 The word \u201canxious<\/em>\u201d occurs five times in this passage. As used in this context it means that one is not to be worried to the extent of having a divided heart and mind that will give the preference to \u201cmammon<\/em>\u201d, wealth and possessions. There is more to be added in the following verses to explain the argument.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cLook at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add one cubit to his span of life?<\/em><\/strong>\u201d \u2014 What Jesus is recommending is trust in his heavenly Father. He looks after the birds of the air. People are of much more value than birds. No one can add eighteen or twenty inches, that is a \u201ccubit<\/em>\u201d, to his\/her span of life through anxiety. The \u201cspan of life<\/em>\u201d can refer to length of age or height. Anxiety will not help but trust in the heavenly Father will.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cAnd why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin; yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.<\/em><\/strong>\u201d \u2014 The second example concerns clothing. Again the example is taken from nature, the lilies of the field which are more beautiful naturally than Solomon, one of the richest men in the Bible.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cBut if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O men of little faith?<\/em><\/strong>\u201d \u2014 The point is emphasised that God cares more for his disciples than for nature. If they believe that he looks after nature as he has shown in the example provided, then why can they not trust him?<\/p>\n

Jesus accuses the disciples of being \u201cmen of little faith<\/em>\u201d when, knowing that they can trust him, they display \u201canxiety<\/em>\u201d. This affectionate term, \u201cmen of little faith<\/em>\u201d, is used by Jesus on four other occasions (Mt. 8: 26; 14: 31; 16: 8; 17: 20).<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cTherefore<\/em><\/strong> do not be anxious saying, \u2018What shall we eat?\u2019 or \u2018What shall we drink?\u2019 or \u2018What shall we wear?\u2019 For the Gentiles seek all these things; and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.<\/em><\/strong>\u201d \u2014 The problem for the pagans, the Gentiles, is that they have no goal other than material possessions and wealth and they do not believe in God the Father to put their trust in him. They spend their time in accumulating things they need as well, even if they do not need them.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Verse 33<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cBut seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well.<\/em><\/strong>\u201d \u2014 Jesus instructs people to \u201cseek first his kingdom<\/em>\u201d his personal reign. He does not instruct to create or establish the kingdom. He has already been taken care of that. People are to find what he has prepared for them. This requires not a casual glance but a strenuous effort that presupposes effort on the disciple\u2019s part.<\/p>\n

Note the word \u201cfirst<\/em>\u201d. Jesus has set his priority for us \u2014 \u201chis kingdom<\/em>\u201d, the kingdom of heaven, the reign of God the Father. This is already established.<\/p>\n

\u201cand his righteousness<\/em>\u201d \u2014 God\u2019s righteousness has two aspects \u2014 by his death he has liberated us from sin; by his resurrection he has given us new life. We now are the children of God and the brethren of Jesus, the Son of God. We are meant to live this life of sanctification.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Verse 34<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cTherefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Let the day\u2019s own trouble be sufficient for the day.<\/em><\/strong>\u201d \u2014 What Jesus is strongly emphasising here is that people do not accumulate things without reason, merely for the sake of having, but that they live a simple life full of trust in God the Father who takes loving care of them.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

APPLICATION<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The Catechism of the Catholic Church<\/em> (CCC<\/em>) can be a wonderful commentary on a Gospel passage. A major theme in today\u2019s passage is that we should trust in God the Father our Provider. CCC<\/em>, <\/strong>322<\/strong> expresses this as follows: \u201cChrist invites us to filial trust in the providence of our heavenly Father (cf. Mt 6:26\u201334), and St. Peter the apostle repeats: \u201cCast all your anxieties on him, for he cares about you\u201d (I Pt 5:7; cf. Ps 55:23).<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n

You will note how Peter links his comment with the word that occurs five times in the passage: \u201canxiety<\/em>\u201d and the following four words which also occur: filial\u2013 trust \u2014 providence \u2014 heavenly Father.<\/em><\/p>\n

God the Father acts as our father by displaying his power in providing for our needs: CCC, 270 <\/em><\/strong>tells us: \u201cGod is the Father Almighty, whose fatherhood and power shed light on one another: God reveals his fatherly omnipotence by the way he takes care of our needs; by the filial adoption that he gives us (\u201cI will be a father to you, and you shall be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty\u201d): finally by his infinite mercy, for he displays his power at its height by freely forgiving sins.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

As God displays his providential care for us in all things, Jesus reminds us that we have to reciprocate by abandoning ourselves to his love, displayed in everything he does for us, in all our smallest needs and anxieties. As the Catechism states, CCC 305<\/em>,<\/strong> \u201cJesus asks for childlike abandonment to the providence of our heavenly Father who takes care of his children\u2019s smallest needs: \u201cTherefore do not be anxious, saying, \u201cWhat shall we eat?\u201d or \u201cWhat shall we drink?\u201d… Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n

Trust is well defined in the words above, \u201cabandonment to the providence of our heavenly Father who takes care of his children\u2019s smallest needs<\/em>\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cMammon\u201d, money, wealth, possessions have been singled out in this passage (Mt. 6: 24-34) as being incompatible with God when it comes to allegiance and obedience. You cannot serve both God and Mammon. Some random remarks will reflect on this. In our society little, if anything else, gives status like money. The rich are highly respected, shown honours and priorities, assumed to have power, consulted on various topics, many of which are unrelated to money, given powers and authority simply because they possess wealth. How their possessions were acquired is not brought into the process of passing judgement on their abilities. The Catechism comments: CCC, 2424<\/em><\/strong> says \u201cA theory that makes profit the exclusive norm and ultimate end of economic activity is morally unacceptable. The disordered desire for money cannot but produce perverse effects. It is one of the causes of the many conflicts which disturb the social order<\/em>.\u201d This is elucidated in CCC, 2547<\/em><\/strong>: <\/em>\u201cThe Lord grieves over the rich, because they find their consolation in the abundance of goods. \u201cLet the proud seek and love earthly kingdoms, but blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.\u201d Abandonment to the providence of the Father in heaven frees us from anxiety about tomorrow. Trust in God is a preparation for the blessedness of the poor. They shall see God<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n

Please note that the passage does not condemn wealth or working for a living or a future for yourselves or your children.<\/p>\n

The main concern is who or what is the priority \u2014 God or mammon. Jesus declares that this is the disciples\u2019 trust in God our Father who has to be the priority. He backs up this teaching by parables. God is the creator of all things and all possessions. He gives them as gifts to people who are to use them for God. He is the master who divides his goods among people before departing on a journey and who expects them to be fruitful and increase the value. He is the Master (same word used in this passage), who punishes his servants on his return because they did not work with the gifts he gave and they did nothing.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

TEXT Two masters 24 \u201cNo one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. Do not be anxious 25 \u201cTherefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life,<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":566,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[45,2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-411","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-commentary","category-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.stmarys-tallaght.ie\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/411","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.stmarys-tallaght.ie\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.stmarys-tallaght.ie\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.stmarys-tallaght.ie\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.stmarys-tallaght.ie\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=411"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.stmarys-tallaght.ie\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/411\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1047,"href":"https:\/\/www.stmarys-tallaght.ie\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/411\/revisions\/1047"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.stmarys-tallaght.ie\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/566"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.stmarys-tallaght.ie\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=411"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.stmarys-tallaght.ie\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=411"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.stmarys-tallaght.ie\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=411"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}