Saturday Scripture Reflection: Divine Providence

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Matthew 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 wildflowers 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."

__________

Last Sunday, I went to Mass at St Mary’s in College Station...this is the Catholic Church that serves Texas A&M University students, including my oldest two daughters.  Father Brian McMaster’s homily had a powerful message...one we have heard before and probably try to live, but it is always good to have a reminder.  

Pray, don’t worry.  God’s got this.  

We all have stuff that we worry about...it could be the kids, money, our relationships, work, school, illness, or  whatever.  We all have stuff.  The message from the gospel passage (and from Father Brian’s homily) is that we are loved by God, and He sees our needs and will provide.  

The word “provide” comes from the Latin “pro” meaning before or for and “videre” meaning to see.  So, the meaning of “provide” is “to see before” or “to see for.”  God sees our needs before we even know them.  An even deeper translation...He sees for us.  He knows very intimately exactly what we need, better even than we know ourselves.  

So, when we pray for Divine Providence (notice that providence comes from the same root words), we pray for God to “see for us” and for us to follow His most holy will for our lives.

It is so hard to give up the worrying.  We (at least most of us) seem to be programmed to worry about the things that are outside our control, things that have happened in the past, or things that will happen in the future.  God sees all of this for us.  If (instead of worrying) we concentrate on living our lives for Him and follow His will, He will take care of the rest.  He loves us far more than the wildflowers on the side of the road.  God will provide.