Homily for October 21, 2019

Our Gospel today may seem to be speaking against wealth, but it can be argued that God does not have a problem with our being successful. The psalmist of old often prayed that God would “prosper the work of our hands.” We know from the words of Jesus that we should use our wealth, the gifts that we have, the prosperous work of our hands, and to do something positive with them for the good of others.        

We live in a society where many people are overflowing with possessions and schedules, and an empty busyness; where many are overwhelmed both with pursuing more and building new “barns” in their lives to store more in.  To be people of faith, to be real disciples of the Gospel Jesus, begins with emptying ourselves of our stuff and our busyness to create the place and a time for God to dwell and fill.

The most tragic kind of poverty is the emptiness of a life filled with things but possessing nothing of God.  Christ calls us to “think of what is above” — love, forgiveness, compassion, mercy, gratitude.  God has given us this priceless, wonderful life in order to embrace and be embraced by His selfless and affirming love, to discover how to love one another as God loves us. +