Look to the birds

You cannot serve God and mammon, because mammon demands your fear. But God is your heavenly Father, having become so because the eternal Son has become your brother and has given his life for you, all that you may gain the privilege of calling God your father. And God alone can help. So consider  the birds, how they are fed without sowing, reaping, and harvesting. Likewise are we fed here at the altar with meat for which Someone else labored. And the birds are majestic, having wings, soaring high, and singing beautifully. Yet these creatures are far less valuable than are you; indeed they were made for you to enjoy. Let the birds remind you of your value to God, who would never leave you, since you are the apple of his eye. And consider the lilies of the field. Today it is, and tomorrow it is harvested and made into flour and into dough and thrown into the oven, so that it may become your bread. And then bread becomes, by the grace and word of Christ, his own body for you to eat. And consider also how the lilies are clothed; yet you are clothed better, by holy Baptism. Therefore cast all your cares on him, for he cares for you. Sermon for Trinity XV. The video is here.