John Desing csc –
Readings: Eccl 1: 2, 2: 21-23; Col 3: 1-5; Lk 12: 13-21
In the first reading we hear that everything under the sun is useless and meaningless.
Whatever a person has toiled hard for in his life is vanity because life is full of sorrow. In the second reading St. Paul says that everyone will experience the fullness of life in Christ for we have been raised with Christ from death. We are a new creation in Christ who died for us. Therefore, when we become joyful people, we give witness to others that we have been raised with Christ from the grave of sinful habits.
Jesus in the Gospel through the parable of the rich fool warns those who give priority to wealth and earthly possessions rather than seeking the heavenly values for our practical life. The quality of our life does not depend on the possessions we have. The Bible and the church are not against wealth or possession.
However, accumulating wealth for oneself is against the social teaching of the church. Jesus said, “Take care and be on your guard against covetousness.” Our identity as Christian is in sharing what we have with others.
On the other hand, it is empirically proven that fullness of life is not having whatever we want but the ability to give and to let go so that we can let God in. Therefore, the treasures that we need to start storing day by day is to become poorer in spirit, for in doing so we will inherit the kingdom of heaven.