MONDAY OCTOBER 21, 2024
MINDAY OF THE TWENTY NINETH WEEK OF THE ORDINARY TIME B
Ephesians 2: 1-10
Luke 12: 13-21
OVERCOMING THE TEMPTATION OF MATERIAL POSSESSION
One of the greatest temptation every man faces each day is the urge, longing and appetite for material possession not for any good reasons but for its own sake, just to have it. This urge and temptation is sometimes so strong in man.
The readings of today cautions us against this urge and the need to detach ourselves from excessive pursuit of material acquisition. The parable of the rich man who pulled down his barn to erect a bigger one and to console his soul saying, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; take your ease, eat, drink, be merry.’” Against such thoughts and actions, Jesus cautions us, “Take heed, and beware of all covetousness; for a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”
Indeed, a man’s life is not made secure by the abundance of material wealth one has. One cannot buy life with money and no one can even secure his or her life by the pleasures of acquisition. In other words, material prosperity does not guarantee your life and existence. It can only give false hope. But apart from this, there is nothing more it could add to life.
Material possessions are mere beauty of the eyes, pleasures of the mind, and boosting and satisfaction of the ego. It does not add any other value to life. Its necessity is only the comfort it brings. But such comfort can equally be tormenting, choking and mind wrenching if not controlled.
Guarding against the urge for material possession is fighting a temptation that could lead one away from God. The rich man who pulled down his barn was preoccupied with earthly living and comfort which material properties cannot guarantee. So, he was taken unaware when his soul was requested. So he left behind these his most valued barn, which exposes its worthlessness and uselessness at death.
Saint Paul in the first reading continues to place high premium on the faith we have in Christ. Because, Christ redeemed us from the strangulation of the world, the elementary spirits of the world, the sinful desires and actions that had kept us prisoners and perpetual enemies of God. From all these we have been save. So we ought to value our faith and hold it so dearly.
And since it is by faith and gratitious gift of God that we have been saved and redeemed by Christ, we should add value to our salvation by seeking the things of heaven where Christ is seated. Our thoughts should always be to please him who died and rose for us. Our desires will always be to live in him, and our earnest longing is to attain the blessed hope of eternal life in Christ.
We must therefore shun all distractions which comes as materialism or possession or acquisition. Rather when we are blessed with them, we must not allow them to strangulate the life of grace we have. So we must set out to use them for God’s glory and honour, being charitable, raising people to human standard, giving in charity to the poor, the underprivileged and those in need.
Another misgiving of the rich man was not just his reliance and dependance on material things but his selfish attitude of ascribing all to himself alone. This selfish attitude is repugnant to God’s will and desires. We are so much blessed to be able to bless others. In our material prosperity, we are called to become channels of God’s blessing to our world.
God our Father, you created us in Christ Jesus for good works. And you endowed us with so much not just for ourselves but for others. Make us realize that we are channels of your blessings to the world. So in our riches may we never be engrossed in them but rather become blessings to other. Remove from us, reliance and dependance on material things, and help us to build our treasures in heaven through Christ our Lord
Fr Norbert Uchuno
