Lion King is a popular movie - both the original cartoon and the live action version. Of course, one of the more popular songs is Hakuna Matata. It is a Swahili phrase which means "no worries". In the song, it says that Hakuna Matata Means no worries for the rest of your days. Though in life we would have problems, we should take in this attitude and not worry, because God is always there taking care of us.
The gospel tells us one of the most assuring promises for me. These two verses never fail to calm me and assure me of God's love, plan, and protection.
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
Do not worry.
In life, there are lots of reasons to worry. And lots of things to worry about. Pandemic. Government. Work. Career. Health. Finances. Safety. Lovelife. These are only the basics. Some people further expand this by adding more things: fame. Power. Reputation. Possessions. The gospel says this. But we should know better. We should know how to react. If one focuses on these things, then the quality of life would really be affected. But today we see how we should deal with these things.
Faith in God.
They say that if you worry a lot, it means you don’t have faith in God. Makes sense. Because we can't do anything by worrying. Jesus asks us not to worry about tomorrow and all the concerns it brings. We should just have faith in God. We should just focus on God. We should just seek God.
Would seeking God and following God solve our concerns? Will it take our problems away? Yes - but probably not in a way we want to. As we seek Him, He won't give us worldly solutions - food, money, security, etc. However, he will change our hearts to become more and more like him. And as we become more and more like him, we will see things in a different perspective. We will rely on him more. And the things we consider problems won't be so big anymore. As we seek Him, we will find him and the peace he brings amidst the distractions in this world.
Especially now, we have a lot to worry about. With this pandemic, people are worried and stressed. In the government we continue to see special treatment to those with connections and power, makes ur worry what will happen to us regular people. So this is a perfect reminder to not worry and just trust God more. No matter how challenging or difficult, we should trust Him more now.
How do I react to problems? Do I stress over them, or do I have faith in God’s power? How am I living my life? Am I calm or am I always stressed? What is this telling me about my relationship with God? How can I improve and strengthen my relationship with God?
May we learn not to worry but to trust in God all the time.
Father God,
Especially now, we have a lot to worry about. With this pandemic, people are worried and stressed. In the government we continue to see special treatment to those with connections and power, makes ur worry what will happen to us regular people. So this is a perfect reminder to not worry and just trust God more. No matter how challenging or difficult, we should trust Him more now.
Daily Readings
Saturday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 370
Reading I
After the death of Jehoiada,
the princes of Judah came and paid homage to King Joash,
and the king then listened to them.
They forsook the temple of the LORD, the God of their fathers,
and began to serve the sacred poles and the idols;
and because of this crime of theirs,
wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem.
Although prophets were sent to them to convert them to the LORD,
the people would not listen to their warnings.
Then the Spirit of God possessed Zechariah,
son of Jehoiada the priest.
He took his stand above the people and said to them:
“God says, ‘Why are you transgressing the LORD’s commands,
so that you cannot prosper?
Because you have abandoned the LORD, he has abandoned you.’”
But they conspired against him,
and at the king’s order they stoned him to death
in the court of the LORD’s temple.
Thus King Joash was unmindful of the devotion shown him
by Jehoiada, Zechariah’s father, and slew his son.
And as Zechariah was dying, he said, “May the LORD see and avenge.”
At the turn of the year a force of Arameans came up against Joash.
They invaded Judah and Jerusalem,
did away with all the princes of the people,
and sent all their spoil to the king of Damascus.
Though the Aramean force came with few men,
the Lord surrendered a very large force into their power,
because Judah had abandoned the LORD, the God of their fathers.
So punishment was meted out to Joash.
After the Arameans had departed from him,
leaving him in grievous suffering,
his servants conspired against him
because of the murder of the son of Jehoiada the priest.
He was buried in the City of David,
but not in the tombs of the kings.
Responsorial Psalm
R. (29a) For ever I will maintain my love for my servant.
“I have made a covenant with my chosen one,
I have sworn to David my servant:
Forever will I confirm your posterity
and establish your throne for all generations.”
R. For ever I will maintain my love for my servant.
“Forever I will maintain my kindness toward him,
and my covenant with him stands firm.
I will make his posterity endure forever
and his throne as the days of heaven.”
R. For ever I will maintain my love for my servant.
“If his sons forsake my law
and walk not according to my ordinances,
If they violate my statutes
and keep not my commands.”
R. For ever I will maintain my love for my servant.
“I will punish their crime with a rod
and their guilt with stripes.
Yet my mercy I will not take from him,
nor will I belie my faithfulness.”
R. For ever I will maintain my love for my servant.
Alleluia
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Jesus Christ became poor although he was rich,
so that by his poverty you might become rich.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
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.”
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