But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you

 

 Then He said to His disciples, "Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put on.  Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing.  Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither storehouse nor barn; and God feeds them.  Of how much more value are you than the birds?  And which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?  If you then are not able to do the least, why are you anxious for the rest?  Consider the lilies, how they grow:  they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.  If then God so clothes the grass, which today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith?  And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind.  For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things.  But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you."

 

- Luke 12:22-31 

 

Yesterday we read that, as Jesus was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, "Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples."  So He said to them, "When you pray, say: "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us day by day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us.  And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.  

And He said to them, "Which of you shall have a friend, and go to him at midnight and say to him, 'Friend, lend me three loaves; for a friend of mine has come to me on his journey, and I have nothing to set before him'; and he will answer from within and say, 'Do not trouble me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give to you'?  I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will rise and give him as many as he needs.  So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.  If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone?  Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish?  Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?  If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!"

  

  Then He said to His disciples, "Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put on.  Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing.  Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither storehouse nor barn; and God feeds them.  Of how much more value are you than the birds?  And which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?  If you then are not able to do the least, why are you anxious for the rest?  Consider the lilies, how they grow:  they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.  If then God so clothes the grass, which today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith?"  My study Bible advises here that Jesus is warning against anxiety, not against thoughtful planning.  It notes that our physical well-being is directly dependent on God, and only indirectly on food, drink, and clothing.  Anxiety over earthly things, it adds, demonstrates a lack of faith in God's care.

 

"For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things."  Because the Gentiles (the nations of the world) served pagan idols, my study Bible says, they were consumed by dependence upon earthly things.  Those who follow God, it notes, can be freed from this dependence. 

 

 "But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you."  My study Bible comments that the kingdom of God is the central theme of Jesus' teaching.  As we are called to be freed from anxiety regarding earthly things, Jesus teaches us to look to heaven, secure in the faith that God will provide needed earthly blessings. 

 

 Why are we completely dependent upon God?  What is Jesus' purpose in teaching us to be so?  In the first place, opening up to the reality and presence of this Kingdom is a way of entering into an identity.  In the ancient world, identity was formed not by theories of racial lineage or heritage in that sense, but by the sense of the "code" one belonged to.  The ethos, if you will, of Athens made one an Athenian.  The law of Rome made one a Roman, hence St. Paul, a Jew and a Roman citizen was not crucified, and he was entitled to demand a hearing before Caesar.  Law of Moses made one a Jew, and the Old Testament Scriptures are filled with foreigners who became a part of the people of Israel (the story, for example, of Ruth and Naomi comes to mind).  In St. Matthew's Gospel, these teachings we find in today's reading come just prior to the Sermon on the Mount, in which Jesus gives us the Nomos, or Law, so to speak of the kingdom of God.  In the context of St. Luke's Gospel, Jesus is addressing His disciples, and will heavily emphasize courage, faith, and confidence in the missions they are about to undertake, preparing them for their future in establishing the Church.  Jesus' gospel is precisely that, a "nomos" or body of law that governs the kingdom of God.  We, as faithful, with the disciples, enter into and bear that Kingdom into the world, just as they are sent out as apostles to bear that Kingdom -- the gospel message -- into the world.  Jesus is telling us to bravely and courageously do so, relying on God in faith, and placing our values, our code we live by, into the proper order.  We seek the kingdom of God first, and then to that all things are added.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these

 

Lilies of the field, ©Author's collection

 Then He said to His disciples, "Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put on.  Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing.  Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither storehouse nor barn; and God feeds them.  Of how much more value are you than the birds?  And which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?  If you then are not able to do the least, why are you anxious for the rest?  Consider the lilies, how they grow:  they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.  If then God so clothes the grass, which today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith?  And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind.  For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things.  But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added unto you."

 

- Luke 12:22-31 

 

Yesterday we read that, as Jesus was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, one of His disciples said to Him, "Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples."  So He said to them, "When you pray, say:  Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name.  Your kingdom come.  Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.  Give us day by day our daily bread.  And forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us.  And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one."  And He said to them, "Which of you shall have a friend, and go to him at midnight and say to him, 'Friend, lend me three loaves; for a friend of mine has come to me on his journey, and I have nothing to set before him'; and he will answer from within and say, 'Do not trouble me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give to you'?  I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will rise and give him as many as he needs.  So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.  If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone?  Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish?  Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?  If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!"

 

Then He said to His disciples, "Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put on.  Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing.  Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither storehouse nor barn; and God feeds them.  Of how much more value are you than the birds?  And which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?  If you then are not able to do the least, why are you anxious for the rest?  Consider the lilies, how they grow:  they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.  If then God so clothes the grass, which today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith?"  My study bible says that Jesus is warning against anxiety here, and not against thoughtful planning.  It notes that our physical well-being is directly dependent upon God, and only indirectly on food and clothing.  Anxiety over earthly things may express a lack of faith in God's care.  

 

"And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind.  For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things.  But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added unto you."  My study bible says that because the Gentiles -- the nations of the world -- served pagan idols, they remained consumed by dependence on earthly things.  But those who follow God, putting as priority faith and seeking the kingdom of God, can be freed from this dependence.

I love the imagery in this text.  Jesus shows us the ravens, who are highly intelligent birds, but do not sow nor reap, and have neither storehouse nor barn.  But Jesus tells us that God feeds them.  The next example Jesus uses is our own height.  Through worry and anxiety, can we grow taller?  A cubit was approximately a foot and a half -- and no, we haven't really figured out how to achieve that (which Jesus calls "the least").  So anxiety for the rest will achieve us nothing.  Then Jesus chooses the example of the lilies of the field.  The permanent photograph at the top of my blog is meant to represent these, taken of a type of lily species which spreads itself all over certain areas.  They don't toil or spin -- allusions to the making of cloth.  But still, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these beautiful, stunningly colored lilies.  Jesus compares the value of human beings to this "grass" of the field -- which lasts for so short a time, and asks us to consider how much more God will clothe us.  I have written recently in a commentary on another passage (see Monday's reading) on Jesus' own apparent conduct of His ministry, and His singular focus on the particular things that were essential to Him.  In that reading, Jesus asked the disciples who the crowds thought He was.  Of course, there were all kinds of answers, and we note that in the Gospels, the crowds are almost always wrong.  But Jesus does not spend His time worrying about what the crowds think; He is, instead, seeking out those of true faith, who are capable of understanding and becoming disciples.  Just consider what was at stake, and yet, He does not spend His time on the details of what everybody is going to think.  In today's reading, Jesus gives explicit advice to His disciples to also share His own focus on the things that God calls us to, and to leave the rest in the hands of God and to expand their faith.  By pointing out the birds and the beauty of the natural world, He does not mean that we are to do absolutely nothing in our lives, as my study bible points out.  But He is telling us about priorities and our focus in life.  He is telling us about the great importance of faith as antidote to anxiety.  He is especially telling us to focus our efforts on what will be truly rewarding for us.  If we expend all our anxiety and worry (and time and energy) on things that really aren't of much consequence, then what have we done with the potentials that God gives us as human beings -- potentials especially valuable and powerful in comparison with the birds and the wildflowers?  If we are really going to be His disciples, and follow His tremendous example, we should focus on how we live our lives as we are called by Christ, and on doing the will of the Father in this world (see yesterday's reading, above, and the Lord's Prayer).  While Christ had a tremendous mission upon which a universe relies, we each have our own crosses to bear -- and our focus needs to be on what is essential in our lives.  In a world that seems to be developing increasingly precarious problems for us to worry about, it seems that growing problems of anxiety are in deep need of correction beyond prescription drugs and other therapies -- and this is where Christ's faith and focus comes in.  We need to get our priorities in line, and put things in proper focus.  So much emphasis on social media contributes to the skewing of priorities and directly impacts the anxieties which Jesus mentions.  All the focus on appearance and wealth are evident on social media.  Used for political leveraging and encouraging people to keep up with the latest slogans and concerns also takes us outside of a faith focus, and one aligned with those crowds who always simply follow the crowd!   It is perhaps more necessary than ever to cultivate our own discipline in focusing on what is truly important and essential in life, and also taking time out for prayer and alignment with Our Father in heaven and how we seek to bear God's kingdom into the world.  Too much focus on every detail we cannot control isn't healthy, and is not what Jesus prescribed.  Nor is it what He did in His ministry.  When asked a question that alluded to nationalist politics, He taught, "Render therefore unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's" (Luke 20:25).  Let us remember which takes top priority, and follow Christ in His discipline that He taught us, for our health, wholeness, and sanity.  Cultivating our faith in today's world is perhaps a higher priority and greater necessity than ever.

Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these

Then He said to His disciples, "Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put on.  Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing.  Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither storehouse nor barn; and God feeds them.  Of how much more value are you than the birds?  And which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?  If you then are not able to do the least, why are you anxious for the rest?  Consider the lilies, how they grow:  they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.  If then God so clothes the grass, which today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith?  And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind.  For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things.  But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added unto you."

- Luke 12:22-31

Yesterday we read that it came to pass, as Jesus was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, "Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples."  So He said to them, "When you pray, say:  Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name.  Your kingdom come.  Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.  Give us day by day our daily bread.  And forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us.  And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one."  And He said to them, "Which of you shall have a friend, and go to him at midnight and say to him, 'Friend, lend me three loaves; for a friend of mine has come to me on his journey, and I have nothing to set before him'; and he will answer from within and say, 'Do not trouble me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give to you'?  I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will rise and give him as many as he needs.  So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.  If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone?  Or if he asks for a fish, will be give him a serpent instead of a fish?  Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?  If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!"

 Then He said to His disciples, "Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put on.  Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing."   My study bible notes here that Jesus is warning against anxiety, and not against thoughtful planning.  It notes that our physical well-being is directly dependent upon God, and indirectly on food and clothing.  It says that great anxiety over earthly things demonstrates a lack of faith in God's care.  This statement, life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing, is a statement about the true reality of our natures as creatures of God.  We are something more, and His emphasis is on the more that we truly need.

"Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither storehouse nor barn; and God feeds them.  Of how much more value are you than the birds?  And which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?  If you then are not able to do the least, why are you anxious for the rest?  Consider the lilies, how they grow:  they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.  If then God so clothes the grass, which today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith?"  God's love and care extends to all of nature.  Ravens are an interesting bird for Jesus to mention.  As animals they are known in cultures worldwide for their intelligence.  In Scripture, it is said that a raven fed Elijah in the wilderness (see 1 Kings 17:2-16, a story in itself about dependence upon God).  If we think about it, that God endows a bird with such intelligence teaches us Jesus' point about the value of human beings.  The lilies are themselves gorgeous, arrayed in great beauty by God -- even the purple reserved only for kings in Christ's time.  All of nature, therefore receives the abundance of God's gifts; therefore how much more will we receive?

"And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind.  For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things."  Today, as ever, we know the truth of these statements.  The nations of the world fight wars over resources they wish to claim.  But Christ is saying that there is something else that comes first.  My study bible says that in Christ's time, the Gentiles (the nations of the world) served pagan idols, and therefore remained consumed by dependence upon earthly things.  To follow God is to be dependent first upon God, for "your Father knows that you need these things."

"But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added unto you."  Here is the central theme of Christ's teachings, and also of our faith.  We put first God's kingdom and God's righteousness.  My study bible says that in calling us to be free from anxiety about earthly things, Jesus directs us to look to heaven -- secure in the faith that God will provide what God knows are needed earthly blessings.

Jesus' admonition here is falsely read to mean that we have no need of things mentioned here (as if we live upon air, and matter or material needs are somehow sinful), or it is misunderstood to suggest that in fact God promises us tremendous material bounty and riches in reward for our faith.  Neither of those two interpretations is worthy of Christ nor worthy of the God whom we worship, and neither is worthy of the beauty of our faith, for both reduce our faith to a kind of extreme materialism, one without balance.  But it is precisely of the balance of the world in which we are created to live that Jesus speaks here:  we are creatures who live in both realms; human beings with body and soul, corporeal beings who need spirit to live.  In John 6:63, Jesus says, "It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life."  Here, Christ teaches us one single formula for how we are to live even as beings who have needs in this world:  "But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added unto you."   The formula is simple:  we put one thing first.  This one thing, the kingdom of God, is worthy of all other sacrifice.  Moreover, there is nothing else worthy of such sacrifice but this kingdom.  To lose our lives in excess anxiety is throwing away the life we're given by God, a waste of our time.  Jesus asks, "And which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?  If you then are not able to do the least, why are you anxious for the rest?"   All the anxiety, time, effort, thinking, and ruminating in the world will not gain us what we truly seek.  Our mission is plain:  we put the kingdom first, we put all things in the hands of God, and our dependency there first.  This is not to say that we won't have jobs, lives, resources to plan wisely for, families to take care of, and all kinds of worldly things to consider in our lives.   Scriptures, again, are full of the stories of those who have lived fully human and worldly lives while seeking first the kingdom of God.  But our command, and our wisdom, is for one thing first of all in our hearts, and that is the one thing that leads to all the rest.  Let us note that what precisely all the rest contains isn't up to us, and it's not a promise engraved in stone like some cash jackpot guaranteed by the lottery this week!  But it is a promise that God knows what we need, and that our work is to understand our dependence upon God and to seek God's kingdom for ourselves as the place where we truly dwell.  Psalm 91 echoes the promises of Christ:  "Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him on high, because he has known My name. He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him.  With long life I will satisfy him, and show him My salvation" (Psalm 91:14-16).  Let us remember that living the life of the Kingdom is a day-by-day and hour-by-hour practice.  We don't swear allegiance one moment and presume we are then set up for life; neither do we take it upon ourselves to understand what this means in terms of what our lives should look like.  The saints of every age are unique, and their unique missions testify to the idea that each one takes up his or her own cross daily to dwell in this place and to practice one's faith.   In prayer, we seek to cement the relationship in which we put God's kingdom first, and then we seek to meet each challenge of life in that faith, asking for guidance, good choices, as well as insight and especially growth.  Life offers us an infinite variety of moments in which we can choose to seek that Kingdom first, and allow ourselves to dwell in God's righteousness -- and remember that it is all a great, long learning curve.  This is where we are as disciples; we are "learners" as the Greek word for disciple truly means.  Let us set our hearts where they need to be, and follow where that learning leads us in each of our lives.  The great beauty of the kingdom of God rivals that of any worldly glory, but we need to be able to see.

Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these

 Then one from the crowd said to Him, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me."  But He said to him, "Man, who made Me a judge or an arbitrator over you?"  And He said to them, "Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses."  Then He spoke a parable to them, saying:  "The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully.  And he thought within himself, saying, 'What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?'  So he said, 'I will do this:  I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will tore all my crops and my goods.  And I will say to my soul, "Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry."'  But God said to him, 'Fool!  This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?'  So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God."

Then He said to His disciples, "Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put on.  Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing.  Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither storehouse nor barn; and God feeds them.  Of how much more value are you than the birds?  And which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?  If you then are not able to do the least, why are you anxious for the rest?  Consider the lilies, how they grow:  they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.  If then God so clothes the grass, which today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith?  And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind.  For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things.  But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you."

- Luke 12:13-31

Yesterday we read that as Jesus warned of "woes" to them, the scribes and the Pharisees began to assail Him vehemently, and to cross-examine Him about many things, lying in wait for Him, and seeking to catch Him in something He might say, that they might accuse Him.  In the meantime, when an innumerable multitude of people had gathered together, so that they trampled one another, He began to say to His disciples first of all, "Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.  For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, nor hidden that will not be known.  Therefore whatever you have spoken in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have spoken in the ear in inner rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops.  And I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.  But I will show you whom you should fear:  Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear Him!  Are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins?  And not one of them is forgotten before God.  But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.  Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.  Also I say to you, whoever confesses Me before men, him the Son of Man also will confess before the angels of God.  But he who denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God.  And anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but to him who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven.  Now when they bring you to the synagogues and magistrates and authorities, do not worry about how or what you should answer, or what you should say.  For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say."

 Then one from the crowd said to Him, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me."  But He said to him, "Man, who made Me a judge or an arbitrator over you?"  And He said to them, "Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses."  My study bible points out the incongruity between this question and the things that Christ has just been saying, speaking of dependency upon God, and fearless witness, living for the Gospel.  It also adds that it was a custom for respected rabbis to arbitrate personal disputes.  As we have already learned that Jesus is the "knower of hearts," we understand His warning to this man about covetousness.  Where is the focus of this person's heart?  We all must take it to heart that Jesus teaches us that "one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses."  Such a standard -- judging by the abundance of things one possesses -- is true covetousness, a mistaken focus.

Then He spoke a parable to them, saying:  "The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully.  And he thought within himself, saying, 'What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?'  So he said, 'I will do this:  I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will tore all my crops and my goods.  And I will say to my soul, "Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry."'  But God said to him, 'Fool!  This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?'  So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God."   Jesus tells a parable which reveals to us a higher power at work in life than all of our plans and our worldly perspectives.  My study bible cites the teaching of St. Ambrose on this parable:  "The things which we cannot take with us are not ours.  Only virtue will be our companion when we die."  This passage invites us to consider what our worldly goods are for, and in whose service they are put.  Christ invites us to full dependency upon God, so this should apply to our considerations for our material lives and wealth as well -- the perspective we need on wealth is the one given us by our faith!

Then He said to His disciples, "Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put on.  Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing.  Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither storehouse nor barn; and God feeds them.  Of how much more value are you than the birds?  And which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?  If you then are not able to do the least, why are you anxious for the rest?  Consider the lilies, how they grow:  they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.  If then God so clothes the grass, which today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith?  And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind.  For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things."  My study bible notes here that Christ is not referring here to thoughtful planning, but rather is warning against excessive anxiety.  Where is our focus?  A sense of dependency upon God is essential to developing the perspective on our material lives that are necessary to our well-being, and our personal balance.  It's not that these things don't matter, for as He says, "Your Father knows that you need these things."  Christ is calling us to understand the limits of anxiety and obsessive planning, toward a deeper understanding and reliance upon our relationship to God.  When Jesus says that all these things the nations of the world seek after, He's referring to pagans who worship idols, fully dependent upon earthly things.  Let us note that in these examples Jesus gives, each speaks to the love of God for each of us, even in our worldly lives and for the things that we need.

"But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you."  Here is our first priority, the focus that we need in order to put all else into the proper focus for our lives.  My study bible says that the kingdom of God is the central theme of Jesus' teaching.  It notes that, calling us to be free from anxiety about earthly things, Jesus directs us to look to heaven, secure in the faith that God will provide needed earthly blessings.

The basis for our worship services is an attunement to the reality of the kingdom of heaven.  This is not simply a kind of place that exists separately from this world.  Rather, it is a reality that intersects with our world, that is integral to our own identities, albeit one that is hidden and that we don't often perceive.  Jesus invites us into this perception, an active and knowing awareness that God is not just at work in our lives, but is closer than our heartbeat, ever-present with us, watching and knowing and caring.  Moreover, not only is God concerned with us, but Jesus calls us to be fully concerned with God.  Our awareness of the things of God, and the kind of living awareness of God's richness for us, must create a backdrop to life in which our priorities are all affected.  We must live for this Kingdom, the life that our communion with God calls us toward.  Our focus starts there, and this puts everything else into its proper order for us.  Will we lose an inheritance?   Do we have as much as others do?   Are our lives focused only upon how much we have?  These questions can be answered in the light of God's love, or in the absence of awareness of God's love -- and in either case, the answers will be different as black and white.  We are called to the life of the Kingdom, and this means allowing our faith to put into perspective that which we truly need, and that which we don't.  When it looks like we may lack something, faith teaches us about patience.  It teaches us about proper goals.  It teaches us about fulfillment of God's goals for us.  Perhaps there is something we need to let go -- a goal that is unsuitable or that leads us down the wrong path.  To take up one's cross daily means that God is calling us to transcendence, to a kind of perspective that is beyond what we already know and understand.  It is quite remarkable what can happen when we put our affairs in the hands of God, and approach life in a prayerful manner.  An abundance of wealth in life can seem to solve many problems, but it really doesn't work magically to resolve our basic struggles for meaning and purpose.  A focus on wealth, in fact, can create far more problems than it would seemingly resolve.  Jesus gives us images of care and wonder:  the ravens who are cared for by God -- a highly intelligent bird, known for its cleverness in nature; the lilies of the field, robed in splendor which Jesus calls more gorgeous than Solomon in all his glory.  And, as in the sayings He gave us in yesterday's reading (above), we are once again assured of our great value to our Creator.  The image of beauty Christ gives to us in comparing the lilies to Solomon's array gives us an important sense of the Kingdom:  it is beauty itself, and this is what it adds to our lives.  It doesn't matter what our circumstances are, it is participation in the joy and love and richness of the Kingdom that truly adds the dimension of beauty to us, and gives us insight and sensitivity to what beauty truly is.  Christ invites us to learn the virtues through faith, to give up our anxieties to God and put our trust where it belongs -- in the One who truly knows all of our needs.  In times that are uncertain and changing, can we do this?  It will take us to riches we couldn't find otherwise, to a resilience and release from anxiety we can't find elsewhere.

Seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you

 Then He said to His disciples, "Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put on.  Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing.  Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither storehouse nor barn; and God feeds them.  Of how much more value are you than the birds?  And which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?  If you then are not able to do the least, why are you anxious for the rest?  Consider the lilies, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.  If then God so clothes the grass, which today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith?  And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind.  For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things.  But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you."

- Luke 12:22-31

Yesterday we read that as Jesus was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, one of His disciples said to Him, "Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples."  So He said to them, "When you pray, say: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name.  Your kingdom come.  Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.  Give us day by day our daily bread.  And forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us.  And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one."  And He said to them, "Which of you shall have a friend, and go to him at midnight and say to him, 'Friend, lend me three loaves; for a friend of mine has come to me on his journey, and I have nothing to set before him'; and he will answer from within and say, 'Do not trouble me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give to you'?  I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will rise and give him as many as he needs.  So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.  If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone?  Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a  serpent instead of a fish?  Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?  If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!"  As in yesterday's reading, today the lectionary skips forward to chapter 12, in preparation for Ascension Day tomorrow.

 Then He said to His disciples, "Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put on.  Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing.  Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither storehouse nor barn; and God feeds them.  Of how much more value are you than the birds?  And which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?  If you then are not able to do the least, why are you anxious for the rest?  Consider the lilies, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.  If then God so clothes the grass, which today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith?  And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind."  My study bible says that here Jesus warns us against anxiety, but not against thoughtful planning.  Our deepest dependency for physical well-being is on God, and only indirectly on food, drink, and clothing.  Anxiety over earthly things demonstrates a lack of faith in God's care, a note tells us.  Jesus' words here remind us of the love of God, and the care of God, even for the ravens and the grass.  And to God, we who may bear the Kingdom into the world are of so much greater value.  Therefore our first priority is our dependency upon and relationship to God before all other considerations, planning, and concern.

"For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things."  The nations of the world are the Gentiles, who worship idols and therefore remain consumed by dependence upon earthly things.  This is an idea of connection to "worldly" material power, rather than dependency upon God.  To depend upon God is to be free of dependencies which base all our well-being and self-awareness on worldly circumstances.  But again we note that this is not an extreme form of rejection of material life at all; Jesus reassures us that our "Father knows that you need these things," making God's care intimate and personal.

"But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you."  Here is the central theme of Jesus' teaching, the kingdom of God.  All His preaching is focused on this.  My study bible says that, calling us to be free from anxiety about earthly things, Jesus directs us to look to heaven, secure in the faith that God will provide needed earthly blessings.

We may be tempted to read Jesus' words as rejections of material life.  But then again we must remember God is creator of all the world, our bodies as well as our souls, and everything about the world itself.  To reject material life is to reject God's own creation. Rather, we are asked to make a distinction between material life and materialism.  These are two different things.  On the one hand, we can see the world as created by God and ourselves as stewards in it, asked to make wise decisions about the protection, care, and prolonging of the good qualities of life -- and not only for human beings for but for all the life of the world.  But if we look at that phrase, for the life of the world, and find it in Jesus' teachings, we read John 6:51:  "I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world."  This is directly impinging on our understanding of our material lives, as it conveys to us the entire sacramental understanding of Christ.  We seek  the kingdom of God, meaning that it is this dependency, and goal, and drive that sustains and builds and enhances our own ability to be good stewards of the world, and to know how to use wisely our material goods and manage properly our needs for them.  We have a choice:  a completely selfish perspective based on materialism, a purely materialistic perspective on our lives and the life of the world.  Or, we seek the kingdom of God, which may direct how we use, live, work, and share the beauty of the world, how we value its goodness in particular as a gift from God, and how we relate to one another on every level of life in the world.  All we have to do is simply look around to find ourselves easily persuaded that there are selfish ways of using power in seeking material goods, and there are also ways of balancing that understanding and power and by seeking God's wisdom and perspective first in doing so.  Our dependency is there because it is that direction that makes all the difference between a world guided by our own selfishness and its destructive potential, and a world in which we may build something of value and beauty that recognizes our need for righteousness; that is, right-relatedness to all the world and everything and all others in it.  That is, the whole of the life of the world.  Let us remember His gift and sacrifice, and ask ourselves to what extent we are meant to follow in His footsteps for the life of the world.  The anxiety we are asked to put aside is anything that stands in the way of our primary dependency and recognition of that dependency upon God, and our deep desire for God's kingdom to manifest in the world, as we were taught to pray in yesterday's reading:  "Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven" (Luke 11:2). 

Consider the lilies, how they grow

 Then He said to His disciples, "Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put on.  Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing.  Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which  have neither storehouse nor barn; and God feeds them.  Of how much more value are you than the birds?  And which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?  If you then are not able to do the least, why are you anxious for the rest?  Consider the lilies, how they grow:  they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.  If then God so clothes the grass, which today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will He cloth you, O you of little faith?   And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind.  For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your father knows that you need these things.  But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you.

- Luke 12:22-31

The lectionary skips over parts of Luke in today's and yesterday's readings.  Tomorrow is Ascension Day, and on Friday we'll return to Luke's chapter 9.  Yesterday we read that as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, one of His disciples said to Him, "Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples."  So He said to them, "When you pray, say:  Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name.  Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.  Give us day by day our daily bread.  And forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us.  And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one."  And He said to them, "Which of you shall have a friend, and go to him at midnight and say to him, 'Friend, lend me three loaves; for a friend of mine has come to me on his journey, and I have nothing to set before him'; and he will answer from within and say, 'Do not trouble me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give to you'?  I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will rise and give him as many as he needs.  So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.  If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone?  Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish?  Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?  If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!"

Then He said to His disciples, "Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put on.  Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing."   All my study bible has to say about today's reading is that "this is an exhortation against worry and anxiety, not against God-ordained planning and earnest work."  If we begin with just these sentences we start with Jesus' primary orientation for us:  life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing.  This is the first thing we have to consider:  what more is there to life, and what more is there to the body?  It invites us to ask what it is that constitutes the fullness of our lives, what does it mean to fully live, and what is it to be fully a human being?  In these two sentences, Jesus also connects these considerations to anxiety.  Our deepest anxieties come from a place wherein we are considering life purely as material, without more to ourselves and to what life itself is.

"Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which  have neither storehouse nor barn; and God feeds them.  Of how much more value are you than the birds?  And which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?  If you then are not able to do the least, why are you anxious for the rest?  Consider the lilies, how they grow:  they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these."  Jesus gives us examples from nature.  Take a look at the birds (the ravens) and how they live:  do they plan, do they have savings and account books -- storehouse or barn?  And yet somehow their lives are cared for.  A raven is a large strong bird, full of intelligence, able even to mimic other birds and sounds.  In 1 Kings 17, we're told that that Elijah was fed by ravens.  Jesus tells us we are of much more value than the birds, as we are children by adoption, capable of becoming "like God."  He uses the example of worry and height:  can worry make us grow taller?  There are some things that anxiety can do nothing for; it doesn't help us to solve problems or fix things we can't do anything about.  And this is the "least"  -- so why carry so much anxiety about the rest?  Finally, He mentions the lilies and their beauty.  This saying is the inspiration for the photo at the top of my blog, of crocosmia lilies which grow in abundance wherever they're found.  Their beauty always inspires me, and Jesus' words tell us the truth.

"If then God so clothes the grass, which today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will He cloth you, O you of little faith?   And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind.  For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your father knows that you need these things.  But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you."  Again, Jesus speaks against anxiety.  But most of all He tells us about what is most important, what is the priority.  What is it to life that is more than meat and drink, what is it to the body that is more than clothing?  He tells us here what that is that we must seek, that makes up the "more" to what we are and to our lives, and that is the kingdom of God -- our relationship to God.

Often in my day, I'll find myself anxious about one thing or another.  And then I have to center myself in prayer, think about the things I'm anxious about, and give them to God.  I find oftentimes that a strange process of priority and sorting takes place by doing this.  The phrase "one thing at a time" won't be foreign to anybody!  Most especially, taking Jesus' words to heart, we find that some things there's just no point in worrying about until the day gets here:  the doctor's appointment we don't really want to deal with, the workmen coming over, all the number of things we take anxiety about that we can't really do anything about -- for which anxiety isn't going to help.  In the wisdom of Jesus, we find most properly a great antidote for the powerful problems of our time.  Anxiety and depression constitute the most prevalent states of human beings in our modern world with which people seek to cope, especially through modern medicines.  Let us remember there is more to life than the things which make us anxious, that there are so many things for which anxiety is not an answer and will not change anything.  Jesus tells us instead to seek first the kingdom.  He assures us that God knows we have need of all these things for which we take anxiety.  But life is much more than all these things.  That life is in the depth of relationship that God brings to our lives, to our hearts, to the ways in which an encounter with Christ can bring us face to face with the things that are of utmost importance:  the things we can do something about, like how we live our lives, how we see things, and the help and inspiration and creativity that can come from prayer -- and the rest we take in prayer.  These are the things that are more.  Let us remember the grace that comes to us to quicken and fulfill and energize our lives, so that all these things may be added.   God shapes our persona in encounter, and life in abundance is much more than the things for which we are so anxious.

But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you

 Then one from the crowd said to Him, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me."  But He said to him, "Man, who made me a judge or an arbitrator over you?"  And He said to them, "Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses."  Then He spoke a parable to them, saying:  "The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully.  And he thought within himself, saying, 'What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?'  So he said, 'I will do this:  I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods.  And I will say to my soul, "Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry." '  But God said to him, 'Fool!  This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?'  So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God."

Then He said to His disciples, "Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put on.  Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing.  Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither storehouse nor barn; and God feeds them.  Of how much more value are you than the birds?  And which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?  If you then are not able to do the least, why are you anxious for the rest?  Consider the lilies, how they grow:  they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.    If then God so clothes the grass, which today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith?  And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind.  For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things.  But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you."

- Luke 12:13-31

In yesterday's reading, we first read that Jesus' ministry has reached a point at which He is now being challenged by the Pharisees and scribes, looking for something in which to catch Him, so that they may accuse Him.  In front of huge crowds, so great they trample on one another, Luke tells us, Jesus taught, "Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.  For these is nothing covered that will not be revealed, nor hidden that will not be known.  Therefore whatever you have spoken in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have spoken in the ear in inner rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops.  And I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.  But I will show you whom you should fear:  Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear Him!  Are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins?  And not one of them is forgotten before God.  But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.  Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.  Also I say to you, whoever confesses Me before men, him the Son of Man also will confess before the angels of God.  But he who denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God.  And anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but to him who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven.  Now when they bring you to the synagogues and magistrates and authorities, do not worry about how or what you should answer, or what you should say.  For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say."

  Then one from the crowd said to Him, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me."  But He said to him, "Man, who made me a judge or an arbitrator over you?"  And He said to them, "Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses."  My study bible explains that "it was a tradition for respected rabbis to arbitrate personal disputes over property or money.  But Jesus refuses to play the role of judge regarding material things, and instead issues a stern warning about greed."   It's interesting here that Jesus refuses to be "judge" in a traditional and, if you will, worldly sense.  In the teachings in yesterday's reading, Jesus is quite clearly asserting Himself as Judge, but that is "judge" in a cosmic and spiritual sense, as His divine Person.  He's also begun to openly challenge the religious establishment.  So the context here emphasizes the difference between "judge" and Judge.  Jesus places His emphasis on the kingdom breaking through and the values of that kingdom in our lives.

Then He spoke a parable to them, saying:  "The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully.  And he thought within himself, saying, 'What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?'  So he said, 'I will do this:  I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods.  And I will say to my soul, "Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry." '  But God said to him, 'Fool!  This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?'  So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God."  Again, I'll quote my study bible:  "The rich man is a fool, despite his material success, because he vainly puts all his trust in his possessions rather than in God.  To be rich toward God is to have a life of close communion with Him through faith and works."  Jesus' emphasis is on those who put all their faith in "worldly" or material life, and neglect to be rich toward God.  This isn't a criticism of reasonable concern for life and its necessities, but rather the blindness of a life lived without concern for the true wealth that gives value and meaning (including perspective) to everything else in our lives.

Then He said to His disciples, "Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put on.  Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing.  Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither storehouse nor barn; and God feeds them.  Of how much more value are you than the birds?  And which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?  If you then are not able to do the least, why are you anxious for the rest?  Consider the lilies, how they grow:  they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.    If then God so clothes the grass, which today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith?  And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind.  For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things.  But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you."   My study bible teaches:  "This is an exhortation against worry and anxiety, not against God-ordained planning and earnest work."  Jesus will frequently speak against worry and anxiety in the Gospels, and here we can see a parallel with yesterday's reading as well -- in which He taught that in the face of persecution and worldly courts His disciples are not to worry what they will say.  They are to place their faith in the Holy Spirit; they are in the process of true witnessing.  Here, there's a parallel emphasis on the necessities of life.  We're assured that God knows we have need of them.  But again, there's a parallel with the earlier story in Luke of Martha and Mary, and the one thing needed, the good portion.  And there is a promise here, that putting the things of the kingdom of God first will set things in order, in proper relation, and "these things" shall be added unto you.

I think it's important that we take Jesus' words seriously here.  What is it to seek that Kingdom first, and to put its values before everything so that we may be properly "related" to everything around us, including our material needs?  If you think about it, the world isn't only about our needs, but if we are privileged to live in a place where we have more than what we need for survival, then we also have choices to make about what to do with what we might be able to store up.  If we look at life and possessions that way, then we see that we may need a sort of plan for how we look at our wealth and what we do with it.  The values of the Kingdom become essential in this perspective, because they become a guidance for how we handle things in our lives.  Jesus addresses Himself to disciples who are going to work for this Kingdom, who may face terrible persecution because of it, be cast out of community and ostracized; they will put everything on the line.  And yet in this case, they are cautioned against worry and anxiety, to be rich toward God, and that the God who remembers every sparrow and numbers all the hairs on our heads is aware of what they need.  This is a powerful teaching of trust, above all else, a faith that is a trust (the essential meaning of the word we translate as "faith" from the Greek).    So let us remember, in all the choices we may make in our lives, what comes first? What sets things in right order for us when we make our decisions about what we pursue?  Jesus tells us that these things will be added unto us.  But can we take that great step of trust to begin?

Consider the lilies

Then He said to His disciples, "Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put on. Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing. Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither storehouse nor barn; and God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds? And which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? If you then are not able to do the least, why are you anxious for the rest? Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. If then God so clothes the grass, which today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith? And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind. For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things. But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you."

- Luke 12:22-31

In yesterday's reading, Jesus gave His disciples - and all of us - the Lord's Prayer. While He was praying, His disciples had asked Him to teach them to pray, as John did. This was no doubt a response to His example, and that is what it meant to be disciples: through living with Him and sharing His life, they learned. See Our Father - The Lord's Prayer.

The lectionary is skipping forward in preparation for Ascension Day, and today's reading follows the theme of prayer given yesterday. I think it's very important that we combine the lessons of the two readings, connected as they are in terms of discipleship and bringing the kingdom into this world. Then He said to His disciples, "Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put on. Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing." What do we pray for? How are we clothed and fed? What is it we need? Following with complete consistence the things He taught in the Lord's prayer (which we examined in yesterday's reading), here the Lord gives us -- and His disciples -- instruction in their orientation in prayer. We seek a sacramental life, the world returned to God and infused with the purpose of bringing the kingdom here. So this precaution against excess anxiety -- focusing solely on the material -- is given in that vein. We seek more than the material life only, but a life filled with the Spirit, with God's presence, with the kingdom.

"Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither storehouse nor barn; and God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds? And which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? If you then are not able to do the least, why are you anxious for the rest? Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. If then God so clothes the grass, which today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith?" Jesus gives us the examples from nature: the ravens who do not constantly worry and work and plan. Can we grow through worry? The lilies in their enormous beauty -- this quotation inspired the choice of my photo at the top of my blog. Indeed, "Solomon in all his glory" cannot top the beauty of God's creation for me, either. So if we look to that example, can we not think of God's loving care in all things? We must consider our own work as disciples -- are we not important to the Lord who wishes for His kingdom to be a part of this world? Let us consider this, then, a precaution against excessive worry and focus on things that detract us from what we are really doing here, once we have made the commitment to be one who seeks to bear that kingdom in this world. It is faith, as Jesus indicates, that He is aiming for here, that we must follow when we make our choices. Excessive dwelling on the purely material is a distraction from that, something that misleads us. In faith, we put ourselves in God's hands, and we focus on the present time. What is before us today, in our focus as disciples who look to the kingdom, who seek to bear it in the world?

"And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind. For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things. But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you." I think it's important that Jesus teaches that "all these things the nations of the world seek after," because He makes it perfectly clear that He understands the business of the "nations of the world." But He is asking us to live a different life with a different focus. We are here to bring the kingdom into the world, just as we were taught to pray in yesterday's reading, and this is our focus. We are more than merely material beings, and as disciples, we look to the "next day" focus of a sacramental life: that is, today we seek how we are to live in order to bring the kingdom into the world, to bear the kingdom, to seek the kingdom of God. And that is our focus, for today. How do we live a sacramental life, one that infuses the reality of the kingdom with the reality of this world? Not neglecting either, but not focusing only on the worldly.

A sacramental life is one in which all that we do and live in this world is also infused with our faith. Beautiful objects can be testimony to faith and remind us of our faith. I don't see this preaching as condemning beauty and the beautiful things of this world at all: quite the opposite, in fact. The beauty of the world, here, is clearly the creation and in the care of God, a loving Father. We can see, then, the kingdom even in this world, as Jesus teachings of the beauty of the lilies, and the ravens who are, He says, fed by God. So let us consider what it is to live this life in which we seek the kingdom, here and now, and to bear it through the world, through our worldly lives. Like the Eucharist, the gift we are given is returned to God, and God returns it to us, infused with His Spirit and purpose for us - to seek that kingdom and to bring it into the world. Every act can be one of sacrament when we practice love, this way of life, when we pray and seek that "Thy will be done." Our own work, of course, whatever we do, is a part of that practice, too! In that way, all things can become a part of prayer. Let us consider the lilies, then, and God's good grace for a life filled with beauty and love. I heard recently a quotation from a book by Fr. Thomas Keating, a small comment on experiences of God in life. He said they are those in which one finds simultaneously present love, awe, reverence and delight. Can you think of such moments in your daily life? Sometimes we may find them as we consider the beauty of the lilies. Let us remember, then, the great desire of the kingdom in this world, as we pray "Thy kingdom come" and remember Jesus' teaching about seeking that kingdom and all things being added to us.