The first statement here of our Lord in this continuation of the Sermon on the Mount,
no one can serve two masters, no one can serve two.
Now here, as our Lord goes on, as he mentions that we'd hate one and love the other,
be devoted to one, that's probably the key phrase, and despise the other.
Then he makes a statement we're probably all familiar with, but do we know what he means?
You cannot serve God and mammon.
Here, what our Lord is telling us here is mammon refers to wealth,
material goods.
And we can't serve, be devoted to one, and be devoted to the other at the same time.
And it's based on this that our Lord continues the rest of this passage.
We cannot be devoted to God and to be devoted to earthly things so much
that they become an end in and of themselves,
which unfortunately is what all too easily happens.
We get so concentrated on materialism,
material goods, and how much we can get.
How much better can we be materially, how much more wealthy,
how much more can we possess, how much power, et cetera, prestige.
You see, to the point then we forget to serve God.
We forget all about God.
We have progress, we have science, we have technology, et cetera.
We can do whatever we want.
You see, that's what happens.
And that's what our Lord is referring to here when he uses the word mammon.
We get so all wrapped up in material goods, earthly things,
we forget all about God.
But in the end, what's going to happen?
We're going to lose God for all eternity.
We're not careful.
We can't serve both God and material goods at the same time.
Right, we are to use the material goods,
but they cannot be in and of themselves.
We can't worship both.
Right?
We are called to worship God alone, to adore God,
to be devoted to him, to love him in a word.
And that's what our Lord is telling us.
Now concentrate on that, and you don't, then he goes on a whole thing,
this whole, it's actually a fairly long passage of not to worry.
We don't have to worry about material goods.
That doesn't mean we shouldn't take care of ourselves.
Of course we have to take care of ourselves.
We have to.
We have to earn our daily wage so that we can take care of ourselves.
So it is, our Lord isn't saying don't even think about clothing and food and everything
else.
Just sit back and don't do anything.
That's not what he's saying.
All right.
But he is telling us we don't have to be overly anxious and worried about what's going to
happen tomorrow.
Right?
And if you're following, the first reading was basically the same message, same thing.
Right?
If God, if a woman, if a woman, if a woman, if a woman, if a woman, if a woman, if a woman,
if a woman, if a woman, if a woman, if a woman, if a woman, if a woman, if a woman, if a woman, if a woman,
if a woman does not simply throw away her baby, right?
Forget all about her infant.
Much more will God not forget about us.
He will never, even if she does, God will not forget us.
He doesn't.
Ever.
If He did, we would not be here anymore.
We will cease to exist.
So, very clearly, He does not, He never forgets us.
And He will provide our needs.
Amen.
needs, if we are unable to one way or another, we have so much out there, it will be provided.
So he's not saying don't work for it. Not at all. We do have to work for it. He wants
us to work. That's a holy thing too. But he is saying don't worry. That's what he's telling
us. We don't have to be anxious and worry. We need to only place our whole trust in him.
He does keep us in existence. He will provide one way or another. But we, of course, have
to do our part. We have to pray for the graces we need. He wants us to exercise our free
will and say, yes, we choose you, Lord. He wants us to exercise that and show our devotion
to him.
So what do you read?
What do you read?
He really is telling us here not to be over worried about those things which are passing
and it all is. This world cannot be an end in and of itself. All the wealth, all the
riches are nothing compared to eternity. That's really what he's telling us here. We cannot
be so set on everything here that we forget about eternity. And the other catch is, of
course, God will call us from this life. That can happen at any time. So we have to
be prepared now. So the whole thing is now we place all our trust in him. We are devoted
to him. We love him. And we use nature, we use the earthly goods, material goods, towards
that end. Towards reaching eternity. Never in an end.
And in and of itself. So we're not just simply seeking to hoard all the goods we can, everything
we can. But simply using it to arrive at our union with God. To arrive at our heavenly
homeland. That's what it's all about. That is what our time here on earth is all about.
It's the time we have. It's our countdown, as it were, of earthly existence. It's the
countdown towards eternity. That is our whole goal. There is the direction we should be
going. Towards eternity. We must keep that in mind always. That's why we must reflect
frequently on the last things. Our death, at which time our eternity will be fixed and
we can't change it anymore. The final judgment, when all will be revealed.
And that's when our actions and our behavior, that's when it will be judged. Simply because
it's according to that. God isn't saying, it isn't God who's condemning us. It's we
who are condemning ourselves because of our own actions. Have we been devoted to God?
Have we shown our love for him? Have we remained responsive to him? Then we are saved. You
see?
That is we who are selves who condemn, not God. God is waiting to bring us back to himself.
Do we correspond? Do we love him in return? That's what he's going to, that's how we're
going to be judged at the last time. And heaven, and the two options at the end. Either heaven
or hell. Purgatory is that time we have now, right? In order that in case we are not fully
perfected when we die, that's when we'll receive it.
When we receive, we will be perfected, consumed in the love of God. Whatever is lacking that
devotion, that temporal punishment to sin, that's what we made up for then. Then we are
ready to enter heaven. But in the end, it's only heaven and hell. And that's the whole
goal. We have to set our sights there. Are we going towards heaven or are we going towards
hell? We have to set our directions and our sights towards. And obviously, we want to
set our sights towards God. Because only there do we find full happiness. Only in God.
If we're going towards hell, then what? We are losing God for all eternity. We will be
without him. Then it's only misery, hate. You see, because we will know that it was
our own fault. All right? We are with God for all eternity. And that's the other thing.
Once it's heaven or hell, it's forever. There's no end.
And you're going towards heaven. For a seeking God's good, and the most conquered and destitute
of mankind. So we need to set our sights now. We have to prepare now. Are we going to
heaven? Or are we going towards hell?
As Saturday mornings, maycin님 once heard together with her brother in a sermon. Heaven
forever, hell, never. And they are children at that time and they went out, they decided
to go to heaven. So they were going to go to the wars and get martyred so they could tickle directly to heaven.�
intervened and brought them back home. But that was the phrase and that's what got them.
Heaven forever. Hell never. Let us set our sights on God always, starting right now.
Work towards that. Our union with Him. Our devotion to Him. Our love for Him. Then we
are going in the right path. Heaven forever. Hell never. Praise be Jesus and Mary.