FIRST READING
I will all the more gladly boast of my weaknesses.
A reading from the second Letter of Saint Paul to the Corinthians (Corinthians 12: 1-10)
Brethren: I must boast; there is nothing to be gained by it, but I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord. I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven — whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows. And I know that this man was caught up into Paradise whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows — and he heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter. On behalf of this man I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except of my weaknesses. Though if I wish to boast, I shall not be a fool, for I shall be speaking the truth. But I refrain from it, so that no one may think more of me than he sees in me or hears from me. And to keep me from being too elated by the abundance of revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan, to harass me, to keep me from being too elated. Three times I begged the Lord about this, that it should leave me; but he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” I will all the more gladly boast of my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities; for when I am weak, then I am strong.
The word of the Lord.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM Psalm 34:8-9, 10-11, 12-13 (R. 9a)
R/. Taste and see that the Lord is good.
The angel of the Lord is encamped
around those who fear him, to rescue them.
Taste and see that the Lord is good.
Blessed the man who seeks refuge in him. R.
Fear the Lord, you his holy ones.
They lack nothing, those who fear him.
The rich suffer want and go hungry,
but those who seek the Lord lack no blessing. R.
R/. Taste and see that the Lord is good.
Come, children, and hear me,
that I may teach you the fear of the Lord.
Who is it that desires life
and longs to see prosperous days? R.
ALLELUIA 2 Corinthians 8:9
Alleluia. Though Jesus Christ was rich, yet for your sake he be- came poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich. Alleluia.
GOSPEL
“Do not be anxious about tomorrow. ”
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Matthew 6:24-34)
At that time: Jesus said to his disciples, “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink, nor about your body, what you shall put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add one cubit to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin; yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek all these things; and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Let the day’s own trouble be sufficient for the day.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
Today’s Reflection
Our loving and generous God provides so much for us. To worry is an avoidable waste of time and energy. Of course, there will be occasional pain and distress, but we cannot live in worry and anxiety about our earthly sustenance. When we constantly focus on what could happen rather than on what is happening, and what we can control, we deny ourselves the chance to truly experience the joy of the present moment. We have to see Jesus in the here and now. Worrying about tomorrow results in the loss of the beauty of today.