Your Worry Is a Terrible God

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

In today’s Gospel, Jesus says something that sounds almost impossible: “Do not worry about your life.” Really, Jesus? Have You seen my life? Have You seen my bank account? Have You seen my children? Have You seen the news? For many of us, worrying feels like a full-time ministry. Some people wake up worried. Others schedule their worrying. Some of us are so committed to worrying that if we don’t have something to worry about, we begin to worry about that!

But Jesus says, “No one can serve two masters.” And then He immediately begins talking about worry. I don’t think that’s accidental. Because worry often becomes our second master.

That’s the theme today: Your worry is a terrible god. Think about it. Jesus knows something we often forget: worry promises control, but it delivers slavery. That’s why He points to the birds. Birds are fascinating. Have you ever seen two birds sitting on a branch having a panic attack? One bird saying, “What if there aren’t enough worms tomorrow?” The other replying, “I heard from a pigeon that the economy is collapsing.” No. Birds simply do what birds are meant to do, and they live in the moment. Jesus isn’t telling us to be irresponsible. Birds still fly. They still search for food. Flowers still grow. Christians are not called to sit on the couch, eat chips, and say, “God will provide.” No, Jesus is not against planning. He is against panic. There is a huge difference.

Planning says, “I will do my best and entrust the rest to God.” Panic says, “Everything depends on me.” And that is exhausting because you and I make terrible gods. Only God can carry the weight of the world. We can’t. We were never meant to.

Jesus says, “Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides.” He says, “Seek first the Kingdom.” Because when God is first, everything else finds its proper place.

The truth is, most of the things we worry about never happen. And even when difficult things do happen, we discover something remarkable: God was already there waiting for us.

Maybe today Jesus is inviting us to fire the god of worry. To stop asking, “What if everything goes wrong?” and start asking, “What if God is actually faithful?” Because He has been faithful in the past. He is faithful today. And He will be faithful tomorrow. And tomorrow has enough worries of its own.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, So often I try to carry burdens that belong only to You. I confess that I worry, I control, and I forget that You are my Father. Teach me to seek Your Kingdom first. Help me to do what I can, surrender what I cannot control, and trust that You are already in my tomorrow. Free me from the slavery of worry and give me the peace that comes from knowing that You are God, and I am not. Amen.

– Homily by Rev Fr Patrick Agbeko