(Listen to this homily here.)
This morning Jesus reminds us that, “one’s life does not consist of possessions.”
This
fact is important to remember in a society which puts a premium on money, new
cars, big homes and IRAs. Recently
I have noted a ton of retirement commercials on TV—what is my life
expectancy? what is my money
expectancy?—they ask. Now it is
good to be responsible about long term planning, but we must be careful about
focusing excessively on such matters.
In
his insightful parable, Jesus speaks of someone who chased security for
years. This individual said to
himself after accumulating a lot: “Now as
for you, you have so many good things stored
up for many years, rest, eat, drink, be merry!” Yet through this teaching Jesus gives
this caricature a blunt reminder: “You
fool, this night your life will be demanded of you; and
the things you have prepared, to whom will they belong?”
Indeed, I have never seen a U-Haul at a cemetery!
The
Church endorses the right to private property, and abundance of itself can be a
great gift. The focus we want to
maintain is detachment from material possessions in order to be rich “…in what matters to God.”
A
good way to discern how you are doing in this regard is to consider how much
time you spend worrying about money, your home, your vehicle or other material
matters. Do you spend as much time
in prayer or in building your relationship with God?
May
we be grateful for the many gifts God has given us, grow in detachment to
material possessions and grow in richness in what matters to God.
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