First Reading: Isaiah 49: 14-15

The God of Israel presses upon his covenantal people that he is an immanent God. He is without but also deeply within. The images drawn by the prophet are tender and intimate and he uses them to show that God resides at the core of each person. Remembrance and compassion are inextricably linked together here. The periscope concludes with a most explicit promise that with God’s remembrance comes his compassion.


Second Reading: Corinthians 4: 1-5

For Paul, Christian stewardship is marked with our reception of the mysteries of God. This identity ought to be visible in our lives and our interaction with each other. Our part as servants and stewards is to be found worthy and not to judge others, regardless of whether we agree with their behaviour or not. In judging, we elevate ourselves to the part that is reserved alone for the Lord.

Gospel: Matthew 6:24-34

Earlier in the Gospel, Jesus has already given images of the Kingdom in the Beatitudes that seem to contradict life in the real world. But rather than contradict, Jesus invites us to contemplate a different life for ourselves. Setting your heart on the Kingdom is not about starving and living in rags. Rather it is about detachment from the things we do not need. We might still want our creature comforts but our lives would not be dictated towards acquiring them. The good news is that Jesus’ incarnation means that he knows human need and hunger, beyond an intellectual level.