In today’s Gospel from Matthew, Jesus draws a direct correlation between our level of worry and our faith. Having faith is a common theme throughout Jesus’ teaching. How many times have we read or heard, “O you of little faith” (Mt 6:30). Faith is defined in the Catechism of the Catholic Church as, “man’s response to God, who reveals himself and gives himself to man, at the same time bringing man a superabundant light as he searches for the ultimate meaning of his life” (CCC, 26.) Jesus came to reveal his Father to us, to show us that he cares for, loves, and wants to provide for us in our need.
When we are feeling anxious or worried, we are most likely not placing our trust or putting God first in our lives. We may be dwelling on the past, rehashing something we did or did not do, what someone did or did not do, fixating on whether or not we made the right decision, or we could be anxious about the future. Our minds plague us often with the worst-case scenarios of what might be or what could happen. We also may react to another’s actions or words, not fully understanding the context or source of the hurt or struggle they may be going through that caused those words or actions. When we seek security first in anything other than God, remain hyper-focused and absorbed on our own reaction(s), and/or stay stuck in our emotions, we become tossed about like a tumble weed and our insides can experience a perpetual churning.
When we focus on what we do not have instead of being grateful for what we do, we will also experience unrest. We exercise little faith or trust in God when we allow ourselves to be hyper preoccupied with anyone or anything apart from and other than God. Jesus is helping us to see that, “No one can serve two masters” (Mt 6:24). Either we place ourselves, someone, or something first, or we place God first. Jesus’ command is to put God first in our lives and to trust in him above all and everyone else.
Anxiety, worry, and fear can be debilitating and paralyzing and can lead toward a downward spiral, a curving in upon ourselves, that leads to an unsettled mental state. From this posture we can become impatient, reactive, and more fearful. Too many of us buy into the enemy’s lies to isolate ourselves, to keep ourselves busy, distracted, and perpetually tired. Even when we seek to find some rest and to wind-down and renew, we may reach for activities that do not bring us the rest we seek but instead continue to keep us in a perpetual state of unrest. Mindless channel surfing, lost hours on social media, or binging on YouTube clips, will not bring rest to our souls. These practices do the opposite; they keep us in a constant state of busy and overstimulation fueled by dopamine hits that contribute to a growing cycle of chronic stress.
One of the reasons we may be drawn to these technological avenues is to escape the anxieties and stresses we experience. They can distract and divert us for the moment, we can enjoy instant gratification, and we may feel satisfied for the moment. It comes at the cost though of further separating us from God and each other. At our core, we are deeply hungering to be loved and to love. “The desire for God is written in the human heart, because man is created by God and for God; God never ceases to draw man to himself. Only in God will he find the truth and happiness he never stops searching for” (CCC, 27).
Jesus’ life, words, and actions provide a starting point for shifting the momentum of the cycle of enslavement to our unbridled anxieties, attachments, and emotions. The way out of this inner downward spiral is to, “seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides” (Mt 6:33). God truly knows what we seek and need in the depths of our souls. At the foundation is deepening our relationship with him. When we spend time consistently reading the Bible, praying and meditating, walking in creation, seeking the things of heaven instead of this world and bringing our anxieties, fears, and sources of stress to God, we will experience moments of peace and renewal. We can come to a place of rest where we can breathe again and we can begin to heal.
Intentionally setting aside key anchor times to be with God each day is one way to put God first in our lives. As we offer vocal prayers to God our Father, share with him our needs, our thanks, our hopes and anxieties, we will find rest in knowing that God hears our prayers and will guide us. As we spend time meditating on God’s word, we are nourished, transformed, and recognize we are not alone in our struggles as we engage with the lives of our ancestors in faith. And as we become more consistent with vocal and meditative ways of praying, we can then engage in the deeper gift of contemplative prayer in which we can just be silent with God and rest in his presence. We can be like St. John who rested his head on the sacred heart of Jesus.
Let not our hearts be troubled, let us not be afraid, but have faith and trust in Jesus, his Father, and the love of the Holy Spirit, and put God first in this moment and often with each drawing of our breath throughout the day.
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Photo: Making some time for a silent holy hour, looking at Jesus as he looks at me.
Spiritual Stepping Stones 