Are you a hoarder? Do you stockpile stuff? Do you acquire more than you need? The answer is of course YES. Take a closer look at your freezer(s) and refrigerator(s)? How about your closet? Are there things in the closet you have not used in the last one year or even in the last two years?
We all have the tendency to hoard materials things for ourselves. We like to accumulate stuff. Don’t we? When we passed on, who will really inherit these stuffs? Will our relatives, descendants see them as treasures or as junks? Future will tell.
How about heavenly things. Do we hoard heavenly things, the real stuff? Jesus tells us to store up our treasures in heaven and not here on earth. The three readings point us toward thinking about eternity. Earthly possessions will fade, but our relationship with God is eternal.
The first reading (Ephesians 2:1-10) we heard that our salvation have been won by Christ through his passion and resurrection. Our salvation was won while we were still sinners Saint Paul said. We were once dead in sin, living selfishly. God’s mercy and love revived us through Christ. Salvation is a gift from God, not earned.
In the gospel passage (Luke 12:13-21) Jesus warns against greed. He said that life isn’t just about accumulating possessions. To drive his message home, he tells us a parable about a rich man who foolishly hoarded his wealth, only to die unexpectedly. Hence, we are reminded to focus on God’s grace and not on material wealth or personal achievements. Jesus’s parable is about the need for us to prepare for our soul.
The responsorial psalm (Psalm 100) has similar message, that salvation comes through faith, not by works. It’s neither by merited nor entitlement, but it is a gift from God.
We tend to be drawn by so many desires: the desire for money, wealth and material possessions, for fame and renown, for glory and power. These “possessions” tend to take us away from God. God should be at the center of our lives and not material things. Let think about it!
Have a wonderful Week
