We Cannot Serve Two Masters

 Reflection on Today’s Readings, Saturday of 11th Week in Ordinary Time, Year II, June 18th, 2022

Texts: 2 Chronicles 24: 17-25; Psalm 89:4-5.29-34; Matthew 6:24-34

Jesus Christ tells us in today’s gospel reading that we cannot serve two masters, God and mammon. Here,  Jesus Christ is not telling us not to serve other God, He is telling us that we lack the capacity to serve two masters. This simply means we are not created to serve two masters. In His words: “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other.” We will betray one. This inability to serve two masters tells us that God made us for Himself to know, love and serve Him, that we might be happy with Him in the next. Hence, He says, “You cannot serve God and mammon.” The fulfilment of our destiny consists in serving God alone. St. Augustine says, “You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it rests in you.” Our happiness consists in loving and serving God alone. Our peace consists in loving and serving Him alone. Let us love and serve Him with our whole heart.  

Today’s first reading is a testimony that we cannot serve both God and mammon. It tells us how the old people of God turned to other gods. When the people turned to other gods, their love for God suffered; they no longer kept the covenant and commandments of God. They no longer listen to the voice of God. As they turned away from God they gave in to evil. It is said, “And they forsook the house of the Lord, the God of their fathers, and served the Asherim and the idols. And wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this their guilt. Yet he sent prophets among them to bring them back to the Lord; these testified against them, but they would not give heed.” They killed the prophet of God and the king paid evil for good: he killed Zechariah, the son of his benefactor, Jehoiada.  The wrath of God, here, signifies God’s displeasure concerning serving other gods.  

The second part of the gospel reading deals with our worries about earthly things, the provision of basic necessities of life. This gives us the idea of what Jesus Christ refers to as mammon; they are earthly concerns. There are some of us whose love for God has grown cold because of worldly concerns; some of us have abandoned the faith; some of us are neither cold nor warm. Some of us have been led into the trap of the evil one because of worldly concerns. Jesus Christ tells us that God knows that we need those basic necessities of life, however, the love of God should not be sacrificed on the altar of basic necessities. Basic necessities of life should be sacrificed on the altar of the love of God. He calls us to have faith in God’s providence, His loving care for us; He will always provides for our needs if we put Him first. In His words: “But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ ... But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well.”

God our Father, we thank You for Your loving care for us, help us to put You first in all things, that we may enjoy the good things of life. Amen  

Fr. Andrew Olowomuke