NOT WHAT YOU HAVE, BUT WHO YOU'RE BEFORE GOD
(Luke 12:13-21)
Jesus, in today's gospel reading,
tells us what matters in our lives as Christians. He discourages covetousness.
In his words, "A man's life does not consist in the abundance of his
possessions."
Can you sit down and consider the
things that matter in your life? Material or Spiritual things? The truth
remains that we spend much of our time pursuing shadows. We waste our time
going after things that will not give joy to our souls. We spend our time
putting God aside while putting possessions in the center of our lives.
God is not saying that material
things are not good. They are made for our good. We should use them to enhance
the life given to us by God. But we should not go in search of them by all
means. It shouldn't be a do or die affair. We should not forget the God who
made them in our quest for what is made. We have to follow the guidance and
direction of God as laid down in His commandments for us.
God wants us to know Him and be
in deep relationship with Him, enjoying our personal heart to heart connection
and spiritual rapport. May we seek to be more in touch with God than being in
touch with material things that leave us empty and still longing for true
peace.
In a world where marriage is
built on money, Jesus is saying it is not money that matters. In a society
where the question is: what do you have? Jesus is saying that it should rather
be: who are you before God? In a country where competence and qualifications don't
count except money and connections, Jesus insists that it is time to focus on
the credentials that are not seen. In a world where public officers continue to
amass wealth for themselves and their generations unborn, Jesus asks: Fools...
Whose will they be?
All the investments for which you
killed, all the fat envelopes for which you betrayed, all the positions for
which you compromised your faith, whose will they be?
Our life that is known to God is
what matters. Let us endeavour to put God and the higher things in view, and
not the matters, the destructible and the perishables of life.
Let us pray
Oh God of life, you have told us
to go after things that really endure. You have called us to consider our being
and not our having more. Give us the grace not to fall to the daily tendency
and inclination to be more material than spiritual. May we seek first your
kingdom and its righteousness believing that all other things will be ours as
you promised through Christ our Lord. Amen
God bless your Monday
Rev Fr Julian O Ekeh
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