💖 HOMILY - JUNE 22 💖

First Reading - 2 Chronicles 24:17-25

Gospel - Matthew 6:24-34

Wealth is a significant attraction for many of us because it promises security for the future, comfort for the present, and assurance of pleasure at all times. However, today's readings warn that if we prioritize wealth, we may miss out on God, as the pursuit of wealth often leads to forgetting Him. The readings invite us to always choose God, trusting that He will take care of us.

Jesus proposes two ways to His disciples: serving God or serving wealth. He clearly states that there is no middle ground; it is either one or the other. Jesus also describes these ways pictorially:

1.Serving God:Those who serve God are moved by His love and providential care. They trust in God and live their present lives in the best way possible, without worrying excessively about an uncertain future. This does not mean they are careless; rather, they do not depend on wealth, power, or position to secure their future. Instead, they place their confidence in God, seeking His kingdom and righteousness in their lives. They trust that God will provide for their needs in due time.

2. Serving Wealth:Those who serve wealth do not trust in God but in their possessions. They believe that their wealth can control their future, but this is a false security. Jesus admonishes His disciples not to worry about the future by amassing wealth because we can only control the present, while the future remains a mystery.

The first reading reminds us that it is not God who betrays us; rather, we betray God through our wrong choices. After Jehoiada, the priest, renewed the people's covenant with God, they strayed back to idol worship after his death. Zechariah, Jehoiada's son, prophesied Jerusalem's destruction for deserting God, and this prophecy came true when the kingdom of Judah was defeated by the Aramean army.

Dear friends, we are reminded that we desert God by our choices. Jesus proposes two ways: God's way and the world's way. God's way is simple and straightforward, encapsulated in the phrase, "Don't worry about tomorrow." This way invites us to believe that God cares for us, loves us, knows our needs, and will provide for them in due time. However, we must make God's ways our priority, focusing on His kingdom and righteousness in our daily lives.

The gospel passage also invites us to live in the present, discarding the poison of future worries. The present has enough challenges and difficulties, and by living faithfully and gratefully, we can address them. In dealing with our present challenges, we are invited to believe that our Heavenly Father knows and cares for us. We need to trust in Him.

We can desert God if we choose wealth as the sole purpose of our life. Wealth is not inherently bad, but it should not become the purpose of our existence. Wealth can enslave us if it becomes our life. Let's choose to serve God because He alone can secure our future.

Let's pray that we may always choose to trust in the Lord and serve Him alone.