Don't You Worry Child :)

First Reading: Isaiah 49:14-15

But Zion said: "The Lord has forsaken me, my Lord has forgotten me."

Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child of her womb?

Yet though she forget, I will never forget you.

Psalm 62:2-3.6-9

My soul finds rest in God alone; from Him comes my salvation

He alone is my rock and salvation; with Him as my stronghold, I shall not be overcome.

Find rest in God alone, O my soul; from Him comes my hope.

He alone is my rock and my salvation; with Him as my stronghold, I shall not be overcome.

On God rests my salvation and my honor; He is my refuge, my mighty rock.

Trust in Him at all times, my people; pour out your hearts before Him; God is our refuge.

Gospel: Matthew 6:24-34

No one can serve two masters; for he will either hate one and love the other, or he will be loyal to the first and look down on the second. You cannot at the same time serve God and money.

This is why I tell you not to be worried about food and drink for yourself, or about clothes for your body. Is not life more important than food, and is not the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air, they do not sow, they do not harvest and do not store food in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than birds?

Can any of you add a day to your life by worrying about it? Why are you so worried about your clothes? Look at how the flowers in the field grow. They do not toil or spin. But I tell you that not even Solomon in all his wealth was clothed like one of these. If God so clothed the grass in the field which blooms today and is to be burned tomorrow in an oven, how much more will He clothe you? What little faith you have!

Do not worry and say: What are we going to eat? What are we going to drink? or: What shall we wear? The pagans busy themselves with such things; but your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. Set your heart first on the kingdom and justice of God, and all these things will also be given to you. Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

A Mother's Love

There was a story of a mother who eats only two parts of any fish: the bone and the head. Her children grew up healthy and successful, and all the while they thought that the fish bone and the fish head are their mother's favorite food. As a sign of love and gratitude to their ever-caring, and now aging mother who lives alone in her home (because her children have their own families already), they regularly send her fish bone and fish head. One day, the eldest son decided to pay a surprise visit to his dear mother. As soon as he arrived at his mother's home, he was disturbed by the stinky smell coming from the backyard. He went straight to the source of the foul smell and was surprised to see all the fish bones and fish heads that they sent their mother. He went to his mother's bedroom and asked why she weren't eating what they thought was her favorite food. His mother lovingly said, "I was content with the fish bone and fish head because I knew you needed the nutrients from the meat. I want all of you to grow healthy and strong."

Such is a mother's love. Unconditional. Sacrificial.

But here's a better news: God loves us more than a mother! And He will never abandon us. Therefore, we should not worry. :)

Sadly, the people of this world are anxious about many things. Proof of this are the deadly diseases - cancer, heart attacks, ulcers - which are more often than not triggered by too much anxiety. If we know our Bible, then why do we still succumb to the temptation of worrying?

One apparent reason is our desire to control our lives. We already have a perfect plan. We will be this. We will be that. We will go here. We will do that. And when things don't go according to plan, what do we do? Panic. Worry.

This is why the Gospel also says, "Seek first the Kingdom of God." His will (not ours) be done. This is also the prayer that Jesus taught His disciples - to first of all, seek God's will. And when we know His will for us, may we, through His grace, accomplish it with joy. :)

Altogether now, "Don't you worry, don't you worry, child. See heaven's got a plan for you." :)

Do not worry. The Lord's grace is enough. ♥

*Reflection from the homily of Fr. Albert Poblete during the CFC Mission Core Assembly held at the Metrotent this morning.

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