It is most appropriate that these two readings this year fall on the feast day of two great saints for our time, St. John Fisher and St. Thomas More, the former a bishop and the latter a layman, both martyred for refusing to compromise their faith in God.  Like the prophet Zechariah in the first reading, they took a stand against the encroachment of civil power upon the realm of moral principle and religious faith, refusing to compromise their consciences.  This courage of their convictions cost them their lives.  They exemplify for us faith in action:  living out to the fullest the words of Jesus in today's Gospel:  "No one can serve two masters ... you cannot serve God and mammon."

In this same passage from his "Sermon on the Mount," Jesus goes on to give the most wonderful advice ever given about how to live fully, freely, and joyously.  Throughout my life, I have found courage, comfort, and hope in these marvelous words of Jesus about learning from the birds in the sky and the lilies of the field.  Some years ago the late song writer and singer, John Denver, sang a song entitled "Sweet Surrender," which really was a re-phrasing of these famous words of Jesus.  The chorus went:  "Sweet, sweet surrender; Live your life without care; Like a fish in the water; Like a bird in the air."  Today we are invited once again to reflect upon how amazingly free we can be if only we can recognize, embrace and savor the infinitely tender and boundlessly great love God has for us.  This is the rock on which I want to place all my trust, the truth that will set me free.  St. Teresa of Avila put it this way:  "Everything God permits or decrees is for our sanctification," so why are we afraid?  And St. Paul probably said it best of all:  "If God is for us, who can be against us?"

The promise of Jesus in today's Gospel is something we all need:  lay persons, priests, bishops, and religious:  "Seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides."  Relying on this powerful word of God, together we can rebuild and renew our church as the universal sacrament of salvation.