Readings:
Duet. 8:1-20; James 1:17-27; Mt. 6:25-33
November 24, 2005
The Rev. Karen Siegfriedt
St. Jude the Apostle Episcopal Church, Cupertino,
CA
Jesus said: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear...But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well.” [Mt. 6]
There is a lot of anxiety in the air today. People are anxious, families are anxious, corporations are anxious, our nation is anxious, and the world is anxious. We do not seem to have a sense of being grounded nor do we have the confidence that “all shall be well”. So when Jesus tells us “not to worry” (in today’s gospel), we may question his line of thinking. Doesn’t he know that the economy is precarious, that terrorism abounds, that the family structure is stressed, and that injustice pervades our social fabric? Doesn’t he know that several natural disasters have uprooted thousands of people, that the avian flu epidemic is a possibility, and that jobs are going off-shore? Certainly, there are a lot of things to worry about things in the context of 2005! So why does Jesus tell us not to worry?
I think Jesus was fully aware of the human condition and all of its struggles, injustices, and disappointments. In fact, life in 1st century Palestine was far more brutal and precarious than life is today, in the United States. Never before have so many people enjoyed so much prosperity, food, adequate shelter, and medical care than today. Yet, we remain a people who continue to worry about so many things; a posture that ultimately saps our joy and prevents us from being grateful for all of the blessings we do have. What is at the root of this problem?
The problem (as Jesus sees it) is that we have lost our center. We have no center. Instead, we have a number of concerns that compete for our time, attention, and money. Instead of thirsting for the values and the righteousness of God’s kingdom as our primary goal and concern, we are plagued with the many facets of life that pull us in so many directions. Instead of being a people who have a center, we are a people who live on the circumference, distracted, troubled, overworked, and floundering. It is no wonder that we worry so much. And what do we worry about? Are we worried about the ultimate salvation of the human race? NO. We are worried about getting our kids to the soccer game on time, or about their academic performance, or making just the right recipe for Thanksgiving Dinner, or obsessing about a hurtful comment that someone said to us, or trying to make upgrades on a $1,000,000 home. Whatever it is that each one of us worries about, it is usually not about faithfulness, transformation, righteousness, or the kingdom of God. That is why we lack confidence “that all shall be well.” Serving idols create anxiety.
It is into this context of being on the circumference, that Jesus offers some profound advice: “Do not worry!” Instead, he points to God and God’s kingdom as the center of life, and believes that all of these other concerns will find their proper place once the center is established. So what does it look like to place God and God’s kingdom at the center? Today’s readings are helpful. In the book of Deuteronomy, Moses reminds the Hebrew people “to keep the commandments of the God, by walking in his ways and fearing him” (fear means respect in this context). In our second lesson (the book of James) we read: “Rid yourself of sordidness, wickedness, and welcome with meekness the implanted word that has the power to save your soul. Be doers of the word and not merely hearers...Religion that is pure and undefiled before God is this: to care for the orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.” [James 1] Finally, our lessons conclude with a profound piece of advice from Jesus: “Strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well.” [Mt. 6]
Worrying does absolutely nothing to change difficult circumstances. Much of what we worry about is out of our control anyway. Worrying only saps our joy and depletes our hope. The antidote to worrying about things on the circumference, is to focus on the center: The kingdom of God and its righteousness.
So on this day of Thanksgiving, make a commitment to move from the circumference to the center. Instead of focusing on what you do not have, focus on your blessings. Bless your children, your spouse, and your friends. Be grateful for the freedom you have in this country, for the abundant food that graces your table, for your relationships, for work, for inner talents, and for life itself. As you expand this list of blessings, you will begin to get a glimpse of being part of the kingdom of God where blessings are too numerous to count.
| Updated 12/4/05 |
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