SPIRITUAL STOCK TAKING

REFLECTION FOR THE 18TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME – C

THEME: SPIRITUAL STOCK TAKING

R1:  Ecclesiastes 1:2, 2:21-23

R2: Colossians 3:1-5, 9-11

Gospel: Luke 12:13-21

A story was told of a great king; Alexander the Great, who was one of the biggest rulers of ancient history. He conquered many parts of the world at the age of 32, built many empires and was very wealthy and famous. He was one of the greatest military generals and never lost any battle. One day, after conquering many kingdoms and was returning home, he became seriously ill. On his deathbed, conscious of his declining health and remembering the many empires he has built and the pleasurable life he has lived, he realized that all is vanity. Towards his final days on his deathbed, he wanted to go home and see his mother before his soul departed from this world. Knowing he will not last too long, he called his loyal generals and made three last to them which he pleaded they should carry out without fail. These became a life lesson for all. He pleaded, “When I die”, 

a. I want my physicians to carry my body. 

b. I want the path leading to my grave to be scattered with gold, silver and precious stones in my treasury while my body is being carried to be buried.

c. I want you to keep my both hands dangling out of my coffin.”

Being surprised of the king’s requests, one of his favourite generals asked him why he made such requests. The king replied, “I want everyone to learn three lessons that I have learned in my life.” 

a. I want physicians to carry my body alone because I want people to know that no doctor can cure people’s illness, especially when faced with death. No one can save you from death. Hence, do not take life for granted.

b. I want the path that leads to my grave to be scattered with gold, silver and precious stones for people to know that not even a faction of gold goes with me. Whatever we earn on earth remains here.  Hence, I want people to realize that it is a complete waste of time and life to  run after wealth and power.

c. I want my both hands to be dangling out of my coffin because I want people to know that we came empty-handed in this world and will go empty handed. 

The experience of Alexander the Great is what the preacher calls vanity in the first reading of today. Experience has shown that many people spend a lot of time labouring and preparing for the future while neglecting today. Most times, while we keep struggling and fighting over what we shall use in the future we fail to understand that we may not even be there to use what we have saved and the now is more important than the future. This is the problem of the rich man in the gospel reading. 

Notice that the rich man in the gospel reading has no name. This implies that it could be any of us and that Jesus is referring to all of us. The rich man was a very hardworking and claver man, who planned his life and worked towards having a better future. Unfortunately, he missed something very important in his plans. He never had any plan for his, family, neighbours, his workers or others while making arrangement for the future and this gave him the name, “Fool.” He was too self-centred and there lies his problem. His actions indicated that he did not care if others exited or not; the life of others meant nothing to him. And on that night, he died. What became of his riches? He left them behind for those he never had in mind.

The foolishness of this rich man could also be how foolish we may become when we think of ourselves alone; “In his riches man lacks wisdom” (Ps 49:20). With this parable, Jesus is giving an important life lesson; that we must consider others in all we do. No one is an island; we cannot live a life without others. Last Sunday, he taught that in our prayers we must say; “Give us this day our daily bread” (Luke 11:3). This prayer is a gentle reminder that others must always be part of our life. In teaching the requirements for entrance into the kingdom of God, Jesus says the love of neighbour is as essential and inseparable as the love of God (Mark 12:30). 

The second reading raises our minds to the kind of life expected of us who have become Christians by the virtue of our sacramental baptism. We are expected to live the life of heaven. *_What is the content of heavily life?_* The heavenly life is a Christ-like. It is a life of sacrifice, bearing in mind the good of others, just as Christ submitted his life for those who do not even deserve it. Hence, such life abhors selfishness. Selfishness is the mother of extreme pleasure which forgets the good of others and tends towards the satisfaction of the self, most times to the detriment of others. This was the major problem of the Rich Fool, which Jesus wants us to turn against. 

Dear friends, lets us retreat and take a stock of our journey so far. The story of the Rich Fool does not only leave a lesson for the wealthy rather for everyone who is selfish in whatever way and through whatever means. Those who have no money (treasure) must give love and attention, time and talent. We are therefore challenged to review our lives and to discover how selfless or selfish we have been. When we are faced with the difficult reality of our end, it is the love we have shown that will pave way for our entrance into God’s kingdom. 

Lord, make us to know the shortness of our life that we may gain wisdom of heart, Amen.

Homily by

Rev Fr. Chukwuemeka VINCENT Livinus, SMMM