What matters most

14th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Cycle C

The song of Kenny Rankin titled "What matters most" pretty much summarizes the gospel message for this Sunday. You would agree with me when I say that in spite of the technological advancements to make life easier, life has become more complex, confusing, and oftentimes disturbing. Even kids would now have "child stress" brought about by various influences around them.

We need to remind ourselves "what matters most" - not the quest for more power, more luxury or material wealth, or more influence or so-called "financial security". As Kenny says, "What matters most is that we love at all."

The readings for this Sunday all point out to the one thing that matters most - God. Only God matters most. Only God gives life, provides life, sustains life. Even in sickness, sin, and death, only God can give life, not expensive, luxurious homes, not high-paying jobs, not the fantasies we built for ourselves and for our family. Only God is capable of giving life to us in all forms.

We need to go back to the basics. We need to learn from Jesus like in the gospel when he instructed his disciples to go to the households and preach the good news. They didn't have to bring everything; they just had to bring themselves. In this renewed way of life oriented to God, we only need to bring ourselves and to tune ourselves to God's will.

We also need to do what is right for our neighbors. Not business proposals, not strategies for making more money, but like the disciples, to preach the good news of God's salvation, to cure the sick, to bring life even to the dead. We need to put into concrete action the powerful reality of "love".

What matters most is that we love at all.