Be rich in the sight of God

Listening to the Spirit

Nada te turbe,
nada te espante,
todo se pasa,
Dios no se muda.
La paciencia todo lo alcanza.
Quien a Dios tiene
nada le falta:
sólo Dios basta.

Let nothing disturb you,
let nothing frighten you,
everything passes,
but God stays,
patience reaches it all.
He/she who has God
nothing lacks:
God suffices.

(St. Teresa of Avila)

Listening to the Word

Luke 12:13-21

One of the multitude said to him, “Teacher, bid my brother divide the inheritance with me.” But he said to him, “Man, who made me a judge or divider over you?” And he said to them, “Take heed, and beware of all covetousness; for a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” And he told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man brought forth plentifully; and he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ And 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, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; take your ease, eat, drink, be merry.’ But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you; and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”

Reflection

When I was still in Sierra Leone, I asked some primary students what they would like to be in the future. Some answered they would like to be an engineer, some teachers, some doctors and many more. And when I asked who wants to be rich? All raised their hands. And I asked who wants to be poor? Nobody. Everybody wants to be rich but not everyone is ready to follow the right direction. Everybody wants to be diamond but very few are willing to undergo the process of purification. YES, we need material things in order for us to do good. YES, we need to be professionals to render service to others. In this consumerist world how to be rich in the sight of God?

BUILD NOT BARNS BUT BRIDGES

The man in the parable wanted to build barns to keep his riches instead of sharing them to others. Are we not the same? When we have many shoes, instead of giving some to others we bought shoe racks or some make a cabinet just for their collection of shoes. When we have many clothes, instead of giving to those who are in need of clothes we build more cabinets. The mentality of the man in the parable is in us. How many clothes, shoes, books, etc we have in our closets that are not used because of our greediness. In Tagalog people used to say, “PINAGPAGURAN KO ITO”. I worked for this. I sweat for this. Therefore I have the right to build “barns”. Instead, Jesus asked us to reach out to those who are in need. To be a bridge. From “PINAGPAGURAN KO ITO” to “IPINAGKATIWALA LANG ITO” (these things are only entrusted). What we have are all gifts. We are only stewards. I am a bridge that carries the gift, the blessing that comes through me to others. Somebody once said when you grow richer do not build higher fence instead build longer tables.

TO LOVE OUR NEIGHBOUR

The readings for this 18^th Sunday are very clear, Death is a great equalizer. All of us will die. In the first reading, the author of Ecclesiastes was very clear our riches can’t be brought when we die. Our material possessions cant extend our earthly life. In the second reading, St. Paul reminds the people of Colossians that false wealth can kill them (physically and spiritually) instead asked then to focus on the things that are in heaven and to be like Christ. How to be like him? To love our neighbor. In the musical Les Miserables, there is a line that says “To love another person is to see the face of God”. The rich fool man was so concentrated on himself. He forgets the others, the need of the others.

For whom you are working? For whom is your accumulated wealth? The rich fool man was all for himself. And you? Be rich in the sight of God by being a bridge of blessing from God to man, and be like Jesus Christ who loves others.