August 1, 2010
Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
By Rev. Joe McCloskey, SJ
For what profit comes to a man from all the toil and anxiety of heart with which he has labored under the sun? All his days sorrow and grief are his occupation; even at night his mind is not at rest. This also is vanity. Ecclesiastes 2:22-23
“Take care to guard against all greed, for though one may be rich, one's life does not consist of possessions.” Luke 12:15
Piety
What does it mean to be rich in what matters to God? The thrill of being able to share with those you love what you have is impossible to measure. Storing up for yourself is the story of the rich man with the bountiful harvest who was called home after he had built a larger barn to store his bountiful harvest. You cannot take it with you when your life is over. Piety is what you take with you when you die. One’s life does not consist of possessions. What counts in life is our prayer, fasting and good works. It is what we have done for others that belong to us in heaven. We are told if we want to save our lives we have to give it away. We can only hold unto what we have done for others. Vanity of vanities, says Qoheleth, vanity of vanities! All things are vanity! The exception is the charity of our lives. Love lives forever.
Study
We study the life of Christ to discover the meaning of life in God. Christ is the perfect revelation of what really counts in life. Our participation in the heavenly kingdom is through our life in Jesus Christ. We accept the challenge of Christ to treat all the needy people of our life as we would treat Christ. In heaven at the last judgment, we will enter into the joy of Christ by what we have done for the least persons of our lives. Paul challenges us to treat everyone as better than ourselves. What we do for the little people of our lives Christ takes as done for himself. How easy it is to honor those who can reward us. How incredible it is to be able to appreciate that what we take with us when we die is what we have done for the least persons of our lives. What we do for the least persons of our lives is where the glory of our lives will have it origins in heaven. How wonderful is the life of the one who realizes the most important people of life as those that cannot repay us for what do for them.
Action
The extra miles we go with those who do not ask for our help are the miles that really count in the glory of heaven. It is easy enough to do for those who ask our help. Reaching out to do for others before they have the chance to ask gives the people we help their dignity. Groveling is hard to take in anyone. Giving people a chance to grovel is the poverty of our charity. Sharing with those who are doing for others in their lives has t o be done with a smile if it is going to be cheerful giving. Telling others if they cannot get help, we will be glad to help is just another way of saying we do not want to help. The best actions of our lives stores up treasure in heaven because it matters to God that we do what we do out of love. He sent his Son to be one of us without our asking so that in the fullness of a God love we would have the chance to just like Christ. Love is our willingness to give without counting the cost because God is found in our love. Thus we store up our treasures in Heaven.
