Seek First
A Homily for the Fifteenth Sunday after Trinity
Psalm 1, 15; Galatians 6; Matthew 6:24.
"For your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the Kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."
After completing a series of homilies from the Book of Genesis, we now turn our attention to the One who fulfills all the promises made to the patriarchs: Jesus Christ, the only Son of God. Jesus is the reversal of Eden's curse, where man's sins disrupted two of life's most fundamental aspects: birth and sustenance. Because of sin, God multiplied the pains of bringing forth a child, meaning no human enters this world without enduring great suffering and travail.
Additionally, the bread that sustains life would not come easily, as the ground was cursed due to sin, resulting in thorns and thistles. People could only eat through the toil of hard work and labor. However, Jesus came to proclaim, "I am the bread of life." He offers true life through his spirit and nourishment through his body, embodying life itself. His yoke is easy, and his burden is light.
Jesus is the promised seed of Abraham, through whom all nations are blessed. He is the child of promise, conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin, coming into the world not by human power but by divine will. He embodies the ram caught in the thicket, sacrificed in place of Isaac, and ultimately, He is the one who was slain for the sins of humanity. In times of trouble, He stands as our saving promise and hope.
And now, at this midpoint of Trinity tide, we are turning our eyes to the one whom Genesis points to, we're looking for our Lord, Jesus Christ, seeking Him, hearing Him, and walking in His ways. Seeking Christ, as we've learned during Sunday catechesis, is the very essence of Christian spirituality. Seeking God is the aim of all true religion, and it is the way unto life eternal in a dark and dying world.
Today, Jesus speaks to us about our existence in this world and our role within it. As His people, redeemed by the sacrifice of His body and blood, He understands our struggles, inclinations, and concerns. He reminds us, "Take no thought for your life, what you shall eat or drink; nor for your body, what you shall wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?"
Notice how Jesus instructs us not to worry about what we will eat, drink, or wear. This highlights a significant distinction; the concern isn't about the basic question of survival—"Will I eat?"—but rather about the nature of our consumption—"What will I eat?" Jesus invites us to shift our focus away from ourselves and examine our lives, particularly the anxiety that accompanies the pursuit of worldly goods.
Let's face it: the world we inhabit often seems consumed by a mindset focused on acquisition, fixating on food and a superficial interest in fashion. It's all too easy to get swept up in consumer hysteria, leading us to seek more than just life's essentials, which fosters an anxious, self-centered way of living. Yet, the Lord is calling his followers to break the mold. This is the core message of his Sermon on the Mount, and it resonates just as strongly today. You see, this culture, this world has a religion, it's called acquisition, getting more and more mammon. But Jesus will not allow his disciples to believe the world's religion or be possessed by the demon of never-ending accumulation.
He is calling us to embrace the practice of HOLY DETACHMENT, to let our world-desires go. Detachment is one of the most important aspects of Christian spirituality. Simply defined, the discipline of detachment is the willful practice of letting go of worldly desires, possessions, and ego-driven attachments and seeking after Christ. Detachment isn't merely about physical separation or self-denial for its own sake, but rather, about cultivating a growing recognition of the impermanent nature of temporal things and the eternal nature of Divine things. Detachment allows one to let go of the world in order to attain heaven.
Jesus says, "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth... But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven... For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." All things come of God and are good, but some things are better than others. Therefore, detachment often calls us to hold onto good things loosely so we can let them go and catch the greater good of God.
However, the earthly concerns of where to dine and what to wear fill the Christian with consumer concerns, leading them to seek the bigger and the better. Consumerism drives anxiety and fosters irrational fear. It's easy to have everything and yet fear losing it all. Therefore, it seeks beyond the simple needs of this world to acquire more and more.
Yet the church has been called to a much simpler seeking: "Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." Dear Christians, this singular seeking and pursuit distinguishes Jesus' people from the rest of the world. In addition to detachment, SIMPLICITY is vital to a fruitful Christian life. By simplicity, I mean singularity of purpose.
The spiritual discipline of simplicity cultivates an inward reality of single-hearted focus on God and His Kingdom. Simplicity intentionally eliminates the things that hinder our walk with God, as it has a singular desire and purpose: to be with God and to be more like Him. "O God, You are my God;" sings the Psalmist, "I shall seek You earnestly; My soul thirsts for You" (Ps 63:1). A singular focus on the Lord involves placing Him above ourselves. If He is truly Lord, then He governs all aspects of our lives: our time, bodies, hearts, minds, talents, and resources.
This means that our lives and schedules should revolve around His timing and His purposes. As it's written, "Six days shalt thou labor, and do all that thou hast to do; but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God." The days belong to Him, and so do the mornings and evenings. "O God, thou art My God; early will I seek thee: My soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee... When I remember thee upon my bed and meditate on thee in the night watches. My soul followeth hard after thee." We are not the Lords of time; God is. Christians live by a higher time, one that transcends the incessant pressures of this world.
I want to clarify that prioritizing God doesn't mean neglecting our duties or responsibilities—not at all. Yet, as Jesus reminds us, it's all too easy to lose sight of our priorities. Our primary focus should be the ongoing pursuit of God's kingdom and His righteousness. This echoes what Jesus taught us to pray: "Thy Kingdom come, thy Will [thy righteousness] be done." Friends, our God is more than willing to provide both to those who earnestly seek Him.
But how are disciples to seek the Kingdom? Jesus tells us to seek his righteousness. The way of acquiring the Kingdom is through faithfulness, fidelity to Christ, holiness, and virtuous living. "Blessed is the man, writes the Psalmist, "that hath not walked in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stood in the way of sinners, and hath not sat in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law will he exercise himself day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the waterside, that will bring forth his fruit in due season. His leaf also shall not wither; and look, whatsoever he doeth, it shall prosper" (Psalm 1). The righteous man obtains God and his Kingdom and is numbered among the congregation of the righteous.
Yet, be assured that no one is righteous apart from Christ, nor the strength to walk in holiness. Seeking righteousness necessarily employs the gift of faith, as we practice and apply the Gospel to our everyday lives, moment by moment. We do this in faith, believing in Jesus Christ and his righteousness working effectually in us through the Holy Spirit. For in the Gospel, writes the Apostle Paul, "the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, 'The righteous shall live by faith" (Rom 1:17).
"And all these things," says our Lord, "will be added unto you." This can be seen as the divine bonus promised to those who earnestly seek God's Kingdom and righteousness. The material things we chase after in life are merely good by-products of a far greater spiritual kingdom. Don't overlook the significance of "all" in our Lord's promise, for He assures us that all our physical and economic needs will be met, just as He addresses our spiritual needs through prayer and the sacraments.
Beloved, Jesus wants you to understand that we have a God who pays close attention to our legitimate earthly concerns. His name is "your Father," and He will not abandon you. Our Father genuinely cares for you and looks after His children. "Therefore, do not be anxious about tomorrow; for tomorrow will take care of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the trouble thereof." Amen.
