Seek Him First

The WORD today (see http://usccb.org/bible/readings/062015.cfm) reminds me that we should always seek God first.

They say that worrying is like sitting on a rocking chair. It will give you something to do, but it won’t get you anywhere. As human beings, we tend to worry a lot. There are a lot of concerns on our minds, and we sometimes over analyze things and assume things will turn out bad. Sometimes, we worry about things we should not worry about, things that are not even existing problems.

If you have faith in God, you will have no reason to worry.

Faith is the foundation of our strength, and the reason for not worrying. In the gospel, we are told one of the most important and inspiring thing in the bible – to seek God first, and all things will be given us. We should not worry, instead seek God, look for him and serve Him. As we do, God will take care of us and our concerns. As we seek God, as we get to know him more, our faith will increase and eventually there will be no reason to worry. God knows everything we need, and as we put him first, as we tell him we trust him enough to put him first and serve him instead of worrying and working on our needs, then He will reward our faith and will continue to take care of us.

In the first reading, we see a man living this. Paul put God first. He did not have it easy though. He experienced a lot of persecutions and hardships. He experienced challenges. However, he remained faithful to God. He continued to do God’s work. Even though life was challenging, God took care of him and his needs, and magnified his actions such that it reached and converted a lot of people.

God is powerful and faithful to us. We just need to trust him and put him first, everytime.

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. thank you for another weekend. Lord, thank you for all the blessings. Thank you for the reminder. I have a lot of things in my head right now. I have lots of concerns. I have lots of problems. So Lord, thank you for reminding me to just have faith in you and put you first. I know that as I put you first, that as I put my focus on you and serve you, you will continue to bless me and take care of other things in my life. I know you are faithful and you are powerful, and I just put my faith in you. amen.

Blessed weekend!

In Christ,

-g-

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June 20, 2015

Saturday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time

Lectionary: 370

Reading 1 2 Cor 12:1-10

Brothers and sisters:

I must boast; not that it is profitable,

but I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord.

I know a man in Christ who, fourteen years ago

(whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows),

was caught up to the third heaven.

And I know that this man

(whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows)

was caught up into Paradise and heard ineffable things,

which no one may utter.

About this man I will boast,

but about myself I will not boast, except about my weaknesses.

Although if I should wish to boast, I would not be foolish,

for I would be telling the truth.

But I refrain, so that no one may think more of me

than what he sees in me or hears from me

because of the abundance of the revelations.

Therefore, that I might not become too elated,

a thorn in the flesh was given to me, an angel of Satan,

to beat me, to keep me from being too elated.

Three times I begged the Lord about this, that it might leave me,

but he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you,

for power is made perfect in weakness.”

I will rather boast most gladly of my weaknesses,

in order that the power of Christ may dwell with me.

Therefore, I am content with weaknesses, insults,

hardships, persecutions, and constraints,

for the sake of Christ;

for when I am weak, then I am strong.

Responsorial Psalm PS 34:8-9, 10-11, 12-13

R. (9a) Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.

The angel of the LORD encamps

around those who fear him, and delivers them.

Taste and see how good the LORD is;

blessed the man who takes refuge in him.

R. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.

Fear the LORD, you his holy ones,

for nought is lacking to those who fear him.

The great grow poor and hungry;

but those who seek the LORD want for no good thing.

R. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.

Come, children, hear me;

I will teach you the fear of the LORD.

Which of you desires life,

and takes delight in prosperous days?

R. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.

Alleluia 2 Cor 8:9

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Jesus Christ became poor although he was rich,

so that by his poverty you might become rich.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Mt 6:24-34

Jesus said to his disciples:

“No one can serve two masters.

He will either hate one and love the other,

or be devoted to one and despise the other.

You cannot serve God and mammon.

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life,

what you will eat or drink,

or about your body, what you will wear.

Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?

Look at the birds in the sky;

they do not sow or reap, they gather nothing into barns,

yet your heavenly Father feeds them.

Are not you more important than they?

Can any of you by worrying add a single moment to your life-span?

Why are you anxious about clothes?

Learn from the way the wild flowers grow.

They do not work or spin.

But I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor

was clothed like one of them.

If God so clothes the grass of the field,

which grows today and is thrown into the oven tomorrow,

will he not much more provide for you, O you of little faith?

So do not worry and say, ‘What are we to eat?’

or ‘What are we to drink?’ or ‘What are we to wear?’

All these things the pagans seek.

Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.

But seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness,

and all these things will be given you besides.

Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself.

Sufficient for a day is its own evil.”