The readings today invite us to consider our retirement plan and what will get us to Heaven.
In the first reading from Ecclesiastes, the author asks: What is the point of striving for earthly wealth, if it all ends with our earthly life? As the saying goes: We can’t take it with us! This is vanity the author says. It is a matter of priorities; we know that we must put God first. If we put God and His Kingdom first, He will ensure we have sufficient to live with dignity. In the second reading St Paul teaches us what is truly worth worrying about, our Heavenly inheritance. What we treasure impacts the focus of our concern and attention. Our life on earth is brief, but most people go around with their heads facing down to the earth, looking only at earthly things such as money, pleasure and power. Instead, our eyes must be focused on Heavenly things. It is necessary to consider the transcendent meaning of life. We should be careful because our hearts tend to become attached to worldly goods as the one goal on life and the more wealth a person acquires usually the more attached they become to it. In my experience in fundraising, I have found that people with little give freely but if we ask a wealthy person for a donation for some cause, it is often like getting blood out of a stone. This is because wealth so easily becomes one’s treasure and security, and it is guarded very carefully. But the Scriptures teach that all our gifts, talents and treasure should be used for the common good and that we are simply stewards. Wealth gives a fragile and insufficient security.
In the Gospel Jesus tells the parable about the rich retiree. He thought of accumulating his wealth and living off its earnings. But Jesus refers to him as a fool. The flaw in his logic was thinking that he would have time. But instead of early wealth, holiness and virtue are the investments that win us lasting and true wealth in Heaven.
In ancient times the eruption of Mt Vesuvius buried the city of Pompei, Italy in 79 AD. Most people were caught unprepared as the city was covered in the lava and ash. It is as if the city was frozen in time. The first remains that archaeologists found were the skeletons of a man and woman preserved in the lava shell. When they broke the shell open, they found the skeleton’s bony fingers clutching handfuls of gold coins. Temptation to trust in money is as old as time itself.
We are called to follow the Ten Commandments and Christ’s example. Selfishness and sin go against the moral law. They separate us from a healthy friendship with Christ and love for neighbour. Just as water and oil don’t mix, darkness and light don’t mix, neither can we grow if sin is poisoning the soil of our souls, we need to repent and go frequently to Confession. For our motor vehicle to function properly we must follow the user manual, in order for our human life to function correctly we must follow the Gospel morality, the moral law as taught by the Church. The rich fool didn’t live a moral life in any way and because of this, his life ended in disaster. The only way that things turn out well for us is to live morally upright lives, not materially abundant lives.
Jesus never abandons us and is always present in Confession beneath the appearance of a Priest to show His love for us and take away our sin. We must have the correct desire and aims in life. If a basketball or netball player isn’t focussed on the hoop when shooting for a goal, he or she is far less likely to get the ball in the hoop. Let’s focus on Heaven. Catholic philosopher and apologist Peter Kreeft wrote a great book on Heaven titled: Heaven, the Heart’s Deepest Longing. This is an excellent book to renew our longing for Heaven, our true home.
Jesus, the Good Shepherd is always with us above all in the Blessed Sacrament. Adoration is the stepping into a foretaste of Heaven. Weekday Mass and Adoration are invaluable in preparing for eternity. One day the Lord will settle accounts with each of us. Then we will realize the full value of that Holy Hour we made, the Rosaries we prayed and the weekday Mass we faithfully attended. Let’s be good stewards in using all our gifts, talents, treasure, prayer and good works to help our neighbour and build up the Church and help get others to Heaven.
Mary, Mother of the Church, pray for us!
