Sunday 27 February 2011

Background

This reading comes from the chapters in Matthew's Gospel thatare referred to as "The Sermon on the Mount" (the first of fiveteaching blocks in Matthew). In fact, Matthew's Gospel has beencharacterised very much as a 'teaching Gospel'. But the Sermon onthe Mount is not just one sermon given at one time, the listenerswould have given up and gone home if they had had to listen to allof this in one sitting. What we have here is a collection of Jesus'teachings and particularly his instructions to his disciples, boththe inner circle of 12 whose names we know (Matthew 10:2-4) and the wider group of peoplewho followed him. These chapters are a distillation of thoseteachings which Jesus considered most important.

This particular passage is urging those who would be disciples notto allow anxiety to rule their lives. Jesus is not saying thatpeople shouldn't plan ahead and exercise ordinary, common-senseprudent foresight; rather that people should have faith andconfidence that the God who gave us life will look after us. Worryand anxiety about things we cannot control are an indication of alack of faith in God. Jesus is urging his followers to live in thepresent, to learn to live a day at a time and make the most of thepresent moment.

To Ponder

What sorts of worries most often pre-occupy yourmind?

What might you be able to do to stop you worryingabout at least one of them?

Despite all the difficulties that Jesus faced hewas basically a happy person who lived in the present moment. Towhat extent are you a happy person? What sort of things make youmost happy?