SEEDS OF LIFE”
Sunday, 31st July 2016.
Eighteenth Week of Ordinary Time
Eccl 1: 2, 2:21-23;
Ps 90: 3-6, 12-14, 17;
Col 3: 1-5, 9-11;
Lk 12: 13-21
ME, MYSELF AND I
Jesus is interrupted by one of the crowd who wants Jesus to settle a financial dispute between siblings. Jesus, however, refuses to enter into the family squabble and instead uses the situation as an opportunity to teach his followers about the seduction of wealth. He said to them, ‘Watch, and be on your guard against avarice of any kind, for a man’s life is not made secure by what he owns, even when he has more than he needs.’ He then went on to narrate a parable about a rich man. It is to be noticed that the rich man is not portrayed as wicked, nor has not gained his wealth illegally or by taking advantage of others. He is not portrayed as particularly greedy. In fact, he seems to be surprised by his good fortune as he makes what appears to be reasonable plans to reap the abundance of the harvest. What is wrong, we might therefore ask, about building larger barns to store away some of today’s bounty for a potentially leaner tomorrow?
Nothing, we might answer, except…Except for two things. First, notice the farmer’s consistent focus throughout the conversation he has with himself: “What should I do, for I have no place to store my crops?” Then he said, “I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul...” He has a preoccupation with self. There is no thought to using the abundance to help others, no expression of gratitude for his good fortune, no recognition of God at all. The farmer has fall enprey to worshiping the most popular of gods: the ‘unholy trinity’ of ‘me, myself, and I’. Secondly, He makes provision for the future; however he is foolish not for his foresight for the future, but because he believed that by his wealth he could secure his future.
Whatever our technological advances over the millennia, what ever our intellectual prowess or cultural achievement, each of us and the human race as a whole remains contingent, vulnerable and fragile. Human life for this reason is fraught with uncertainty and insecurity, and perhaps for this very reason we are tempted to strive for a measure of security and control over the vagaries of life through our own efforts or accomplishments.
How do you battle the temptation to clutch and hoard and guard your earthly possessions? First, when you are blessed with much, give generously. Generosity produces a joy that riches can’t buy. Paul tells us to set aside money regularly to give away as the Lord prospers us (1 Cor 16: 1-2). Understand that only a few things are eternal and invest in them. They include the Lord, His Word, and people. That means investing in your loved ones, your neighbour, and the nations. Second, when you plan for the future, think about the ultimate goal. Ask yourself, “What do I want to take with me when I die?”Things we can take to heaven are testimonies of the people whose lives we touched with the gospel. A godly legacy. If we plan our lives around eternal things, then we know we are making a sound investment for the future. Third, whether you have much or little, hold it loosely. Don’t put your hope in barns filled with grain. It can blow out of your hands. Hold on to the Lord. He never lets go of you.
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