Sunday, July 31, 2022 | By Rev. Michael P. Hanifin
ECC 1:2, 2:21-23; PS 90:3-6, 12-13, 17; COL 3: 1-5, 9-11; LK 12:13-21
The month of July has flown by, and we have already reached the 31st of the month. On the 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time, the Gospel passage comes as a “pat on the back” from Heaven for all who strive to live a discipleship way of life. It reminds us why we live the way we do and why we make the choices we make. Let’s face it, if we truly embrace this way of life, there will be people who find our choices — based on serving God and others — downright foolish. But let’s see what God thinks. Spoiler alert: turns out we Catholic Christians are not the fools!
In this passage, Jesus made it clear that life is not about “stuff” as he told the parable of the wealthy businessman who thought he had everything figured out. The man had such an abundance of stuff that he didn’t have room to store it all. So, thinking of earthly things and not on what is above, he decided to build a bigger place to store all his stuff. Patting himself on the back, he thought about what good times he would have in the years ahead. But Jesus tells us that day would turn out to be the man’s last day on the earth. And he had spent it thinking only of himself. How foolish!
Don’t be ashamed of living differently from the people around you. Do not be fooled into thinking that the person who dies with the most toys wins! Be confident as you set priorities based on what is above in heaven and not what is here below on earth. Ask ourselves, are we wise in God’s eyes, or merely foolish? And we rich in what matters most and storing up treasures in heaven?