Two crucial virtues of our Christian life are central to today's readings: fidelity and trust. In the first reading from Chronicles, Zechariah, the high priest, is murdered in the temple for attacking the idolatry of the Jewish community of his time. The people had mingled and intermarried with their pagan neighbours, and had adopted their superstitious practices. Their Judaism was thereby polluted by superstition. It is as if a Christian today, while professing Christianity, also consults fortune tellers or adopts secular business practices not in keeping with his or her faith. The Chronicler says that, because of this, the Arameans invaded and conquered Judah and Jerusalem.

The Gospel begins with this same theme of fidelity. Jesus says we cannot serve two masters. God and money. We must choose only one, and be faithful to our choice. Choosing "money" (human values) is attractive because we keep - or try to keep our destiny in our own hands. Choosing to be faithful to God involves greater risk, since God's ways are not under our control. How can true disciples of Jesus have the courage to take this risk? Jesus tells us: look around you at the wonders of nature. See how the Lord provides for the birds of the air and the plants of the field. And you and I are much more precious to Him than birds and plants.