Do you worry? Has anyone ever called you a worryguts? Are you a harbinger of gloom and doom? Are you a person who expects the worst to befall you? Are you the type who expects rain on the day of the picnic, even though the weatherman has forecast blue skies and sunshine the whole day? Do you not only cling to past hurts, but also assume future hurts?

Many of us suffer from trust issues: we really and honestly do not trust in God. Or if we do trust in God, we do so only up to a certain point; then, our trust begins to wane, and we start to vacillate and doubt.

One of the best remedies to conquer this constant distraction of worrying about anything and everything, but especially about the future and all that it has in store for us, is to draw close to Jesus. We should beg for the grace to sit at his feet like little, trusting children and listen to his comforting words.

Read and meditate slowly on the Gospel of Matthew chapters 5, 6 and 7. Focus especially upon 6:25-34, in which Jesus repeats over and over again the command, “Do not worry!” You might even divide his message into the following points for reflection.

The birds of the air

To address our constant worrying for food, shelter and the things of everyday living that we need, Jesus highlights the example of the birds of the air. Never will you find a bird flying to a psychologist. Never will you meet a bird who is worrying about his next meal. We all, hopefully, see birds, and perhaps hear them, on a daily basis. They soar into the sky and swoop down into the fields; they sing songs that even the best-trained voices cannot imitate – especially the mocking bird. But never will we meet a depressed, worried or anxious bird on planet earth. Jesus invites us to ask ourselves this question: “If our Heavenly Father will provide for them, will he not provide for us, we of little faith?”

The flowers of the field

How much money we can waste in worldly, vain and even costly pursuits of new shoes, clothes, beauty treatments, etc! Yet Jesus reminds us that even King Solomon in all his costly array could not compare with the lilies of the field. If God clothes them with beauty day in and day out, will he not provide for us all that we need?

Jesus concludes by reminding us not to worry about the food that we will eat nor the clothes that we will wear. Why? Because that is what the pagans worry about. The following words of Jesus summarise the whole message and solution for our useless worries: “Seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, and everything else will be given to you beside” (Mt 6:33).

Here are a few other words from Sacred Scripture that can help to alleviate the constant distraction that assails us when we worry excessively. Remember, God must be our fortress!

• “If God is with us, then who can be against us?” (Rm 8:31).
• “Our help is in the name of the Lord who made heaven and earth” (Ps 124:8).
• “When I am weak, it is then that I am strong” (2 Co 12:10).
• “The Lord is my Shepherd; there is nothing I shall lack” (Ps 23:1).
• “Behold I am with you always, even until the end of time” (Mt 28:20).
• “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away” (Mt 24:35).
• “In my Father’s house there are many mansions. I go to prepare a place, a mansion for you. So that where I am, you also may be. If it were not so, I would not have told you so” (Jn 14:2-3).
• “Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. For I have conquered the world” (Jn 14:27; 16:23).
• “If your faith were the size of a mustard seed, you could tell the mountain to move, and it would move” (Mt 17:20).

Have faith!