Jesus spends a lot of time telling his disciples not to worry.

He spends even more time inviting them to trust God’s providence. Later in the gospel, when he tells them they will be brought before powerful people, he says “do not worry about what you will say’ because the Spirit will help them speak. But here, in the middle of his most famous ‘sermon,’ his advice is not to worry about what others are obsessed with. Clothes or food. He implies that these things are not worth the anxious moments we give them. It’s good advice, but…

… we know that there are folks who are worried about these things. Times are tough, and people are struggling, and Jesus’ advice can soon become ridiculous.

It is ludicrous for the church to advise folks not to worry amidst a shortage of suitable, affordable housing and a lack of jobs that provide a living wage. It is careless – dangerous – for the church to say ‘don’t worry’ about the hundreds of thousands (in this province – and just under 2 million in 2023 in Canada) who rely on food banks – and still more who cannot access regular meals. It is criminal to blithely quote Jesus without giving some thought to the reason behind such suffering.

However, it is important to give Jesus’ remarks about anxiety some context; to consider that he may be asking us to consider our attitudes around worry and gratitude.

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There are folks who resist offering help to those who struggle by saying things like ‘this is a land of opportunity’ or ‘they should be grateful…’ On this weekend – if you care to look – we are overwhelmed by thoughts and images that convey gratitude without context…and without a thought for folks who find it hard to give thanks.

The ‘land of opportunity’ crowd – the ‘count your blessings’ brigade often evoke a large circle of sympathetic nods thoughtful noises of agreement. But…this is not endorsed by Jesus – his advice to be less anxious is driven by a very different approach.

Anxiety knows no boundaries. Worry is everywhere. People in Jesus’ day were overwhelmed with it. Rome was an authoritarian administrative body in the lands around the Mediterranean. The Roman habit, having conquered a region, was to keep the levels of anxiety high. The threat of swift retribution overshadows any notions of liberty in those who have been conquered.

The swift and brutal nature of Roman justice was always evident. The economy may be thriving, but it is heavily biased towards the rich and powerful – Roman or otherwise.

The ordinary people – the folks who produce and prepare what the privileged consume – were living day-to-day; hand-to-mouth. Worry was the sauce of their every moment of existence.

Jesus knows how the system works – he knows of the oppression and unfairness that permeates the land. Yet he dares to encourage them not to worry?

Here in Matthew’s gospel, Jesus invites us to engage the world in a different way.

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Worry can be an excellent motivation. Fear of missing out (or running out) can provoke a person to urgent action. Anxious people can do great things. But worry can also create an atmosphere of greed.

If you have been without – and decide that you will never let it happen again – you can make a case for keeping more than you need – for ‘gathering where you did not sow.’ Worry creates a culture of fear – an economy of scarcity – a society of haves and have nots. It also helps to perpetuate the lie that anyone can make it, if only they try hard enough.

Jesus knows better. No one talked about Trickle-down economics in Jesus’ time – it seems a favourite theory of the capitalist era. And it is an idea that generates worry. Worry that we may be missing out – doing it wrong – too far downstream to reap any benefit.

Worry also drives greed – and it is the greedy who are most easily rewarded… while the rest remain worried. This may be ‘the way the world works,’ but this is not the kingdom Jesus proclaims.

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To his eager audience of anxious souls, Jesus offers bold words of hope: Look at the birds! Consider the flowers! There is a truth visible in the natural order; an approach that suits the world that God – in the beginning – called GOOD. The truth is that there is enough, and to spare. There is decoration and food and beauty and opportunity for everyone, so long as worry and greed are exchanged for gratitude and joyful acceptance. And today is the day (well, okay, the weekend) that we set aside for gratitude.

It’s truly good to give this a national focus – to have a set time when all are reminded to ‘be thankful.’ But the challenge for those who would follow Jesus is to apply this concentrated time of gratitude in a way that will upset the cycle of worry in our lives and in the lives of others.

Jesus points us to a path of anxiety abatement. Jesus modelled grateful living. In his approach to the poor and oppressed; in his attitude towards the powerful; in his every small act of kindness; through his regular pattern of thankful prayer. From Jesus we learn that it is not enough to tell people not to worry – we should help them combat their anxiety.

Offer friendship – share a meal – donate ‘good stuff’ (not just the stuff you are finished with) – speak loudly against the false cheerleaders who say that folks in need are just too lazy to ‘help themselves’.’ Jesus points to the reality of this bountiful world and challenges us to see it and SHARE it. Full stop. No excuses, no strings attached.

Giving thanks is the first step on this path. Open your eyes to the wonder and abundance that is all around. Thank God for it. Revel in the beauty and bounty of Creation. When you see an example of greed causing worry – call it what it is: an affront to the bounty and rich generosity that is present in Creation.

Give thanks without ceasing to the One who Gives with abandon. This can change our perspective in a world driven by stuff – in an economic system powered by greed. Gratitude can work as an antidote to the anxiety that threatens to overwhelm us.