May the good Lord provide you with all you need for your daily life, endow you with the spirit of detachment from material possessions as well as the love to share with less privileged ones what you have received from him. May he also grant you the grace to have your mind fixed on your heavenly home. Happy Sunday! + John I. Okoye
DOCTRINE AND FAITH
(Qoheleth 1,2.2,21-23; Colossians 3, 1-5.9-11; Luke 12,13-21: 18th Sunday of Year C 2016)
Reflecting on the wisdom sage, Qoheleth, the Preacher and the parable in today’s gospel episode, one sees our contemporary society aptly portrayed. Avarice seems to be the most diffused attitude and vice that contaminates all and the driver of most of peoples’ activities. It is the idolatry of material things, the permanent desire to possess more and better things. It drives people to frenzy as they pursue material things labouring day and night, in order to have more money in the bank, luxurious cars, chains of houses and abundant consumable goods.
The wise man of the first reading asks: what does he (anybody) gain for all the toil and strain that he has undergone under the sun? What is the gain, if one will eventually abandon all the acquired material things? It does not worth the pain. Every person should give a thought to the above mentioned questions of the Preacher. The sacred author of the book of Qoheleth was not a pessimist, nor was he desperate. He was a sage, one who deeply reflected on what went on in the world and drew profitable and practical conclusions therefrom. He was a spiritual and realistic guide who saved people from the seemingly magical lustre of passing material things that drive away peace from the heart, thereby giving rise to unending restlessness and distress. The Preacher, eventually, suggested answers to the question he proposed which we cited above. He first admonishes that man should know how to enjoy life as a gift from God (Qoheleth 1,24). The second suggestion is that man should live in the fear of God (Qoheleth 12,13), that is to say, live with the firm desire not to offend God, reciprocate God’s love, trust and repose confidence in Him and observe His commandments.
The most appropriate and encompassing answer to the question: what advantage has a person for all his toil and strain? is given by Jesus in today’s gospel. No advantage, says Jesus, if man, during his life, is preoccupied with accumulating wealth only for himself without sharing with his needy neighbours. That is why Jesus even warned: watch and be on your guard against avarice of any kind. Here Jesus is warning against uncontrolled desire to possess more and more material things. Uncontrolled quest for material things, especially money, is still to be considered the mother and the root of evils, a sort of idol worship. What advantage has a person for all his toil and strain? Jesus continues to insist that human toil and strain do not profit anyone, if the person thinks only of this terrestrial life and believes that all reality is exhausted with this life; if he places his security and happiness in material possession of this life. Such a person would be miserably deluded and would be living in perennial anguish. What advantage has a person for all his toil and strain? None, Jesus says again especially if one during his life does not try to make himself rich in good works before God.
Concretely what should a Christian do? Paul suggests we leave the material and terrestrial world and move to the realm of the sacred, heaven and the next life. To this effect, Paul suggests in his letter to the Colossians (2nd reading) that a Christian should simply live out the implications of his baptism. Baptism unites us with Christ, makes us participate in his divine life and invites us to share in his glory. Therefore, one has to have one’s eyes fixed on his destination, that is, to eternal life. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on the earth (Col 3,2). The things above are the things of God that are essential for salvation, and with ultimate meaning. They belong to the realm of the redeemed. Paul encourages the Colossians and us to seek the higher things not merely to discover them but in order to live by them. Baptism is rebirth in new life in Christ.You were dead with Christ….you were buried as the old person and you rose as a new person. Every Christian should daily live his baptism, that is to say, that his life should be a dying of that part that belongs to the world, a sort of putting off the old self, that is doing away with all sorts of vices, sins and in particular selfishness then putting on the new self, that is, acquiring Christian virtues and imbibing Jesus Christ’s attitudes, sentiments and thought. These will assist in the Christian’s full transformation into Christ. As Baptism ushers us into new life in Christ, it implies that we have to adopt a new way of living our lives with others. This new way is to be characterized by sincerity and honesty. It also calls up new criterion of relating to people that is no longer based on race, nationality, skin colour, rich or poor, man or woman, circumcised or uncircumcised, social status, but in reference to Christ who loves all equally and wishes to lead all to God the Father.
Nowadays, people wish to fill the vacuum in their hearts and find security for their lives by running after the material things. This is an illusion. Therefore, we Christians would demonstrate that life has meaning only if it is lived well, that is, oriented towards God and reposing our security in Christ Jesus alone. Happy Sunday! + John I. Okoye
(pictures by blogger)
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