Matthew 6:31-34

Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ For it is the Gentiles who strive for all these things; and indeed your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. “So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today’s trouble is enough for today.

Kathleen Norris is the award-winning poet, writer, and author of The New York Times bestsellers: The Cloister Walk; Acedia & Me: A Marriage, Monks, and a Writer’s Life; Dakota: A Spiritual Geography; Amazing Grace: A Vocabulary of Faith; and The Virgin of Bennington.

The wisdom of the few, struggling trees on the Plains, and the vast spaces around them, are a continual reminder that my life is cluttered by comparison. At home, an abundance of books and papers overlays the heavy furniture I inherited from my grandparents. A perfectly simple room, with one perfect object to meditate on, remains a dream until I step outside, onto the Plains. A tree. A butte. The sunrise. It always makes me wonder: What is enough? Are there enough trees here? As always, it seems that the more I can distinguish between my true needs and my wants, the more I am shocked to realize how little is enough.

Prayer

God of all good things, we give You thanks for Your abundance and Your generosity. Strengthen us to trust in Your providential care for us and all creation. Empower us to recognize that there is difference between our needs and wants. Help us to share our blessings with those in need. Amen.