They are simple plants with no eternal life, yet the Lord continually
provides for them. So the question is asked: “Will He not much more clothe
you, O you of little faith?” The answer is simple: Yes!
The Lord always provides for the most beloved of His creation – human
beings, you and I – even more perfectly than the lilies of the field. (See Divine
Providence 332) Therefore the Lord urges us: “Do not worry about tomorrow,
for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own
trouble.”
So why did the Lord say that “even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed
like one of these”? It was for the plain reason that they existed so simply in
the order of their creation. (See Arcana Coelestia 8480) Lilies do not care for
tomorrow, nor do they worry about their past. They do not covet riches, honor,
reputation and gain. They don’t fret over their appearance or where they will
receive their nourishment. They exist peacefully, as just another part of the
Lord’s wonderful creation.
Solomon’s glory consisted in man-made ideas and perceptions of what
was glorious at that time: gold, palaces, a large harem, numerous children and
military might. The beauty and glory of the lilies lay in their simplicity: they
were content with God’s design for them.
It calls to mind the story of Jesus visiting the home of Mary and Martha.
Martha was bustling about trying to be a good hostess, while Mary simply
sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to His words. Martha was distracted by her
domestic duties, and upset by Mary’s seemingly carefree attitude. Do you
remember what the Lord said to her? “Martha, Martha, you are worried and
troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen
that good part, which will not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:41-42)
Doesn’t the message of these words resonate with the Lord’s words to
Solomon when He granted him to ask for whatever he wished. Solomon
humbly asked for a wise and understanding heart.
The Lord said to him, “Because you have asked this thing…, I have given
you a wise and understanding heart…, and I have also given you what you
have not asked: both riches and honor.” A similar idea was expressed in our
lesson from Matthew: “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness,
and all these things shall be added to you.”
The message is clear. Cares of the world, anxiety about the future, and
worries over the past distract us from the essential order of our creation. Think
of the order into which we were born. We did not worry about time and space.
We did not care about riches or reputation. We were not anxious about the
future or the past; the present moment was our universe.
We were in a state of innocence and peace. (See Conjugial Love 395;
Heaven and Hell 278) We were created to become spiritual beings, innocent
447