Seek First

June 23, 2012

Saturday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time

Then the Spirit of God possessed Zechariah, son of Jehoiada the priest.  He took his stand above the people and said to them: "God says, 'Why are you transgressing the LORD's commands, so that you cannot prosper?  Because you have abandoned the LORD, he has abandoned you.'?  But they conspired against him, and at the king's order they stoned him to death in the court of the LORD's temple.  2 Chronicles 24:20-21

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."  Matthew 6:30-34

Piety

The Lilies of the Field by John Michael Talbot

Consider the ravens
They do not sow and they do not reap
Yet God the Father provides for them
Yet upon the earth
These are among the smallest things

Consider how the lilies grow
They do not spin and they do not weave

But I tell you now not even Solomon 
In all of his splendor was arrayed
Like any one of these

So seek ye first the kingdom of God
And the wealth of His righteousness
For wherever your treasure lies
There will you find your heart

Be not concerned for your life
Or your body
What to eat, what to wear
Or what you will do for tomorrow
Seek out instead His heavenly kingdom
And the rest upon the earth
In its own time will follow

So seek ye first the kingdom of god
And the wealth of His righteousness
For wherever your treasure lies
There will you find your heart

Study

Today’s readings deliver the one-two punch of why we must change the direction in which we seek happiness.  Zechariah tried to get the people to change their ways and they refused.  Not just refusal like a two-year-old child who has learned the word, “No.”  But refusal in a violent and hateful way.  Nothing will come between these people and their worldly pursuits.  For their transgressions, they not only stoned Zechariah but also were overrun by a foreign army.

Jesus elects to use the carrot, rather than the stick, to get his message of love across.  He says, “Don’t worry.  Be happy.”  But the key to happiness is to get our priorities in order.  “But seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides.” 

Just two days ago, our Good News presented us with the Lord’s Prayer.  “Thy Kingdom come.  Thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven.”  So often, we take steps to circumvent God’s will.  Seek ye first this Kingdom and the rest will come to you as well.

This hearkens us older Cursillistas to remember a 1963 movie where Sidney Potier played the itinerant laborer Homer Smith who stops at a farm in the Arizona desert to obtain some water for his car. There he sees several women (whom we learn are nuns) working on a fence.  Their leader asks him to help fix their roof.  He stays on assuming that he will be paid in the morning. Next day, Smith tries to persuade the mother superior to pay him by quoting Luke 10:7, "The laborer is worthy of his hire." Mother Maria responds by asking him to read another Bible verse from the Sermon on the Mount: "Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin. And yet I say unto you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.”

Smith stays on long enough to build and oversee construction of a new chapel.  The nuns helped him realize his dream to become an architect.  He helped the nuns realize their dream to build a chapel for the poor townsfolk. 

Homer remains grounded in his Baptist traditions despite the nuns efforts to get him to convert.  While they share and learn from each other, in the end (spoiler alert) Home drives off to find his next mission.   

Action

Our Cursillo Weekend lay talks begin with a talk on Ideal.  Where do you spend your time, talent and treasure?

This is not a question for the weekend alone.  Look back at your notebook.  How did you answer it then?  For some, many years (and possibly even many decades) have transpired since their weekend experience.  How will you answer the question now?

Don’t let Madison Avenue or Hollywood or Wall Street or K Street dictate the answer to this question.  Seek first the Kingdom.  Try to ignore the advertisers this weekend and the allure of their jewelry, electronics, food, alcohol and other diversions.  Immerse yourself in activity that will put you in touch with God’s Kingdom.  Seek the place the Lord wants you in this world no matter what obstacles of language, culture or otherwise are placed in your path.