In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth
\nwas a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a
\nwind from God swept over the face of the waters. Then God said, \u2018Let there
\nbe light\u2019; and there was light. And God saw that the light was good; and
\nGod separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and
\nthe darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning,
\nthe first day.<\/p>\n
And God said, \u2018Let there be a dome in the midst of the waters, and let
\nit separate the waters from the waters.\u2019 So God made the dome and separated
\nthe waters that were under the dome from the waters that were above the
\ndome. And it was so. God called the dome Sky. And there was evening and
\nthere was morning, the second day.<\/p>\n
And God said, \u2018Let the waters under the sky be gathered together into one
\nplace, and let the dry land appear.\u2019 And it was so. God called the dry
\nland Earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas.
\nAnd God saw that it was good. Then God said, \u2018Let the earth put forth vegetation:
\nplants yielding seed, and fruit trees of every kind on earth that bear
\nfruit with the seed in it.\u2019 And it was so. The earth brought forth vegetation:
\nplants yielding seed of every kind, and trees of every kind bearing fruit
\nwith the seed in it. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening
\nand there was morning, the third day.<\/p>\n
And God said, \u2018Let there be lights in the dome of the sky to separate the
\nday from the night; and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days
\nand years, and let them be lights in the dome of the sky to give light
\nupon the earth.\u2019 And it was so. God made the two great lights\u2014the greater
\nlight to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night\u2014and the stars.
\nGod set them in the dome of the sky to give light upon the earth, to rule
\nover the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness.
\nAnd God saw that it was good. And there was evening and there was morning,
\nthe fourth day.<\/p>\n
And God said, \u2018Let the waters bring forth swarms of living creatures, and
\nlet birds fly above the earth across the dome of the sky.\u2019 So God created
\nthe great sea monsters and every living creature that moves, of every kind,
\nwith which the waters swarm, and every winged bird of every kind. And God
\nsaw that it was good. God blessed them, saying, \u2018Be fruitful and multiply
\nand fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.\u2019
\nAnd there was evening and there was morning, the fifth day.<\/p>\n
And God said, \u2018Let the earth bring forth living creatures of every kind:
\ncattle and creeping things and wild animals of the earth of every kind.\u2019
\nAnd it was so. God made the wild animals of the earth of every kind, and
\nthe cattle of every kind, and everything that creeps upon the ground of
\nevery kind. And God saw that it was good.<\/p>\n
Then God said, \u2018Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness;
\nand let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds
\nof the air, and over the cattle, and over all the wild animals of the earth,
\nand over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.\u2019<\/p>\n
So God created humankind in his image,<\/p>\n
in the image of God he created them;<\/p>\n
male and female he created them.<\/p>\n
God blessed them, and God said to them, \u2018Be fruitful and multiply, and
\nfill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea
\nand over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon
\nthe earth.\u2019 God said, \u2018See, I have given you every plant yielding seed
\nthat is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its
\nfruit; you shall have them for food. And to every beast of the earth, and
\nto every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything
\nthat has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.\u2019
\nAnd it was so. God saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it was
\nvery good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.<\/p>\n
Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all their multitude.
\nAnd on the seventh day God finished the work that he had done, and he rested
\non the seventh day from all the work that he had done. So God blessed the
\nseventh day and hallowed it, because on it God rested from all the work
\nthat he had done in creation.<\/p>\n
1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is gracious, \u2022<\/p>\n
for his mercy endures for ever.<\/p>\n
2 Give thanks to the God of gods, \u2022<\/p>\n
for his mercy endures for ever.<\/p>\n
3 Give thanks to the Lord of lords, \u2022<\/p>\n
for his mercy endures for ever;<\/p>\n
4 Who alone does great wonders, \u2022<\/p>\n
for his mercy endures for ever;<\/p>\n
5 Who by wisdom made the heavens, \u2022<\/p>\n
for his mercy endures for ever;<\/p>\n
6 Who laid out the earth upon the waters, \u2022<\/p>\n
for his mercy endures for ever;<\/p>\n
7 Who made the great lights, \u2022<\/p>\n
for his mercy endures for ever;<\/p>\n
8 The sun to rule the day, \u2022<\/p>\n
for his mercy endures for ever;<\/p>\n
9 The moon and the stars to govern the night, \u2022<\/p>\n
for his mercy endures for ever;<\/p>\n
10 Who smote the firstborn of Egypt, \u2022<\/p>\n
for his mercy endures for ever;<\/p>\n
11 And brought out Israel from among them, \u2022<\/p>\n
for his mercy endures for ever;<\/p>\n
12 With a mighty hand and outstretched arm, \u2022<\/p>\n
for his mercy endures for ever;<\/p>\n
13 Who divided the Red Sea in two, \u2022<\/p>\n
for his mercy endures for ever;<\/p>\n
14 And made Israel to pass through the midst of it, \u2022<\/p>\n
for his mercy endures for ever;<\/p>\n
15 But Pharaoh and his host he overthrew in the Red Sea, \u2022<\/p>\n
for his mercy endures for ever;<\/p>\n
16 Who led his people through the wilderness, \u2022<\/p>\n
for his mercy endures for ever;<\/p>\n
17 Who smote great kings, \u2022<\/p>\n
for his mercy endures for ever;<\/p>\n
18 And slew mighty kings, \u2022<\/p>\n
for his mercy endures for ever;<\/p>\n
19 Sihon, king of the Amorites, \u2022<\/p>\n
for his mercy endures for ever;<\/p>\n
20 And Og, the king of Bashan, \u2022<\/p>\n
for his mercy endures for ever;<\/p>\n
21 And gave away their land for a heritage, \u2022<\/p>\n
for his mercy endures for ever;<\/p>\n
22 A heritage for Israel his servant, \u2022<\/p>\n
for his mercy endures for ever;<\/p>\n
23 Who remembered us when we were in trouble, \u2022<\/p>\n
for his mercy endures for ever;<\/p>\n
24 And delivered us from our enemies, \u2022<\/p>\n
for his mercy endures for ever;<\/p>\n
25 Who gives food to all creatures, \u2022<\/p>\n
for his mercy endures for ever.<\/p>\n
26 Give thanks to the God of heaven, \u2022<\/p>\n
for his mercy endures for ever.<\/p>\n
I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing
\nwith the glory about to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with
\neager longing for the revealing of the children of God; for the creation
\nwas subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of the one
\nwho subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from
\nits bondage to decay and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children
\nof God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labour pains
\nuntil now; and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first
\nfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption
\nof our bodies. For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not
\nhope. For who hopes for what is seen? But if we hope for what we do not
\nsee, we wait for it with patience.<\/p>\n
Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or
\nwhat you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life
\nmore than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the
\nair; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly
\nFather feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And can any of
\nyou by worrying add a single hour to your span of life? And why do you
\nworry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow;
\nthey neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory
\nwas not clothed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the
\nfield, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will
\nhe not much more clothe you\u2014you of little faith? Therefore do not worry,
\nsaying, \u201cWhat will we eat?\u201d or \u201cWhat will we drink?\u201d or \u201cWhat will we wear?\u201d
\nFor it is the Gentiles who strive for all these things; and indeed your
\nheavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But strive first
\nfor the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will
\nbe given to you as well.<\/p>\n
\u2018So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its
\nown. Today\u2019s trouble is enough for today.\u2019<\/p>\n
\u2018So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its
\nown. Today\u2019s trouble is enough for today.\u2019<\/p>\n
This statement from the gospel reading is contrary to our ordinary understanding
\nof being prepared, isn\u2019t it? Don\u2019t we plan to avoid the things which worry
\nus? Don\u2019t we ready ourselves for things to go wrong?<\/p>\n
Don\u2019t we pay insurance premiums to set our minds at rest for the future?
\nInsurance carries the worry of tomorrow just so we don\u2019t have to. But Jesus
\nwas not an insurance salesman, was he? No, Jesus is speaking about something
\nmore profound than insurance. Jesus was propelling us into the realm of
\nmeaning. I think Jesus speaks about the core of human life \u2013 hope.<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s get back to what Jesus has said to us. We should \u201cnot worry about
\ntomorrow,\u201d and it is always quoted with \u201cthe lilies of the field\u201d \u2013 in
\nfact, this passage as a whole turns how we live upside down, doesn\u2019t it?
\nHuman being is made to worry, some would say. Why else do psychotherapists
\nand psychologists have so much business?<\/p>\n
I shouldn\u2019t make so light of this fundamental character of ourselves. We,
\nin fact, do have a great deal to worry about, and don\u2019t we do a great job?
\nGlobal warming, tension in the community, immigration, the threat of war
\n\u2013 both internal and external \u2013 and then personal worries, how well our
\nchildren and grandchildren do in their exams and the rest of their lives,
\nhow we will cope with loss (of job or of loved ones). All these worries
\nweigh us down and take us away from being like the lilies of the field.<\/p>\n
But \u2013 are we really made to worry? Why do we tear at this and that like
\ndogs with bones? Why do things seem so important that we lose sleep over
\nthem? We concentrate so hard on things we cannot change, and to what effect?
\n\u2013 That is right, our anxiety avails us nothing,<\/p>\n
But why are we anxious about the future? \u2013 Why does humanity take out all
\nthose metaphorical insurance policies (as well as the real things)? I think
\nit is because we care, and this care is bound up in hope.<\/p>\n
We throw ourselves into the future, even if we live in the past. Our life
\nis centrifugal, ever being thrown away from the present into the expanse
\nof the undiscovered country. This is what human being is, ever projecting
\nitself away from the present into the unknown and the uncapturable. I would
\nsay even those who live in the past are grasping at the future through
\nthe prism of what has been experienced \u2013 they are living their lives on
\nthat trajectory from past into a future which they see as echoing their
\npast, what they know as their own.<\/p>\n
Jesus tries to calm us down with this saying, he tries to make us live
\nin the present, without fear for the future or a longing to live in the
\npast. Jesus wants us to take hold of life in all its fullness.<\/p>\n
That is our goal, to show the fullness of life as we live it. This is our
\nfundamental care in life, our ultimate hope. \u2013 I could go on about the
\nphilosopher here, but I won\u2019t because he only tells us in more contemporary
\nlanguage what Jesus is saying here \u2013 \u201cToday\u2019s trouble is enough for today.\u201d
\nWe need to learn to cope with today, never mind tomorrow, for \u201ctomorrow
\nwill bring worries of its own.\u201d \u2013 I think Paul says somewhere that God
\nwill not give us too much to bear. I think Paul is absolutely right here.
\nWe can, I am sure, cope with anything, as long as we stick to today\u2019s problems.<\/p>\n
Paul is confirming what Jesus says here, isn\u2019t he? And the philosopher
\nconfirms Jesus\u2019 prophetic words of consolation. \u201cI tell you, do not worry
\nabout your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your
\nbody, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more
\nthan clothing?\u201d<\/p>\n
We know that the philosopher is right, but we don\u2019t take any notice of
\nhim, do we? We also know that Jesus is right \u2013 if only we could live by
\nhis words. We know that \u201cToday\u2019s trouble is enough for today,\u201d but sadly
\nbecause of our cares in this world, we stack up even more worries than
\nthe day requires. We have our lives \u2013 worries will do nothing for or against
\nit.<\/p>\n
In our faithful living, when we live out the summary of the law as Jesus
\ngave it to us, we transform our lives into the balanced moment of the present.
\nHere we stand remembering the past while we hope for the future \u2013 I say
\nthat worries do not enter into that moment. It is pure care and care roots
\nus to that spot of peace and harmony.<\/p>\n
If I care for my sick mother, I am not worried about the bills coming in
\nand how to pay them. No, I am with my mother, anointing her with the balm
\nof a son\u2019s love. She is as resplendent as Solomon in all his glory and
\nthe lilies of the fields. I am entranced in that love. Nothing more and
\nnothing less. And so I should regard each and every person whom I meet.
\nThis is not a \u201ccare-free\u201d mode of existence, but it is not a life of worries
\nand troubles. Rather, it is a life full of care, abounding in the life
\nof the love of God, neighbour and self in the very present. What more could
\nlife be?<\/p>\n
I will \u201cnot worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its
\nown. Today\u2019s trouble is enough for today.\u201d And I will deal with today\u2019s
\ntrouble by carrying out that law of love and the worries and troubles will
\nfade away, because the only thing in life is love. How is love augmented
\nby a million dollars? How is love diminished by debt? Does poverty add
\nor subtract a cubit of stature? Do riches provide a hair without grey or
\ncover over my bald pate? \u2013 Not at all! and that is Jesus\u2019 point. We can
\nlive the good life when we found it on the summary of the law here and
\nnow.<\/p>\n
In the moment we look deep into the other\u2019s eyes, we see what is real,
\nnot the fancy spectacles surrounding them. We enter into the reality of
\nlife in all its fullness when we delve beyond the worries of today and
\nforget about tomorrow\u2019s, when we reach from the depth of our hearts to
\nthe other\u2019s heart, never mind the ephemera surrounding our worldly lives.
\nOur lives extend from past to future, and it all combines in the moment
\nof hope, where love propels all action. \u2013 There is a strand of theology
\nwhich speaks of \u201crealised eschatology\u201d \u2013 where the future is in the present,
\nthat the second coming of Jesus Christ is today. There are no troubles
\nfor us in the present. In light of that<\/b><\/i> future event here and now, why
\nworry about the troubles of today or tomorrow? Why worry when Jesus is
\nhere and we love?<\/p>\nAmen<\/h5>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Readings Old Testament In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters. Then God said, \u2018Let there be light\u2019; and there was light. And God saw that … Continue reading “Second Sunday before Lent”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":2331,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"purple.php","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-2185","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tolutim.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2185","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tolutim.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tolutim.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tolutim.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tolutim.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2185"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.tolutim.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2185\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2186,"href":"https:\/\/www.tolutim.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2185\/revisions\/2186"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tolutim.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2331"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tolutim.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2185"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}