THE RICH FOOL . . Texts for Today’s Meditation: 1. First Reading: Ephesians 2:1-10 2. Psalm 100 2. Gospel Passage: Luke 12:13-21 Wealth is something that we all desire and pray for. I bet you no one likes life the hard way, no one likes to live in a manner so as not to know where the next meal would come from. We love to be assured of having enough both for today and for tomorrow and sometimes, our problem is not how to care of today, our major problem is how to have enough for tomorrow and this is the source of our greed. Most of the vices we commit regarding riches are purely motivated by the fear of not having enough for tomorrow and we would rather steal, defame or kill just to secure more than enough for tomorrow’s needs BUT we do not bother to ask ourselves if we would be alive to witness the tomorrow that we are often so anxious about. The parable of the rich fool which Jesus gave in today’s Gospel passage is not an isolated case far from reality, it tells our own story. I see myself in the rich fool whenever my account balance is down and I am finding it difficult to sleep at night as a result of this. I see myself in the rich fool whenever I pass by a person gravely in need of little help from me and I turn the other side giving the person one flimsy excuse or another. I see myself in the rich fool each time I fail to pay my tithe and give God his due acknowledging him to be the source of my wealth. I see myself in the rich fool when after working hard, I am thinking of what I would do with my money for myself rather than how I will come to offer thanksgiving to God. I see myself in the rich fool when I am so conscious about money to the extent I find it difficult to concentrate in Church or to meditate about life after death. I see myself in the rich fool when I assume that I will never die when I refuse to keep my journal of good deeds in preparation for the day of my departure. I may never have made up to a million naira yet, I may have never even considered myself to be rich at any point in time but this honest examination of conscience reveals that I am no better than the rich fool. Jesus would not be a judge in a case over a man who demanded justice from his brother over the sharing of their father’s inheritance. Yet, every day, I bring such complaints to God in my prayer. What Jesus would not do while he was on earth, I expect him to do now that he is in heaven. Sometimes, I only remember to pray when I am in dire need of money and even while praying, all I am doing is calculating figures, I am thinking of the people owing me and the amount of money I have invested in various businesses that did not work out or the money I am expecting from different sources. I even loose interest in prayer because my mind is restless and tensed. I claim to be poor yet I am just a rich fool. Being money conscious is a sign of living according to the flesh. It is a sign of a refusal to face the reality of death which can happen at any time. As St. Paul says to us through his letter to the Ephesians, “All of us once lived among them in the passions of our flesh, following the desires of flesh and senses, and we were by nature children of wrath, like everyone else. But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ.” Ephesians 2:3-5. Why am I still so passionate about money and how to accumulate enough wealth for myself both for today and for tomorrow? Why am I still following the desires of my flesh and senses when I have been redeemed by Christ? Why do I feel that God will not take care of my tomorrow when he has asked me to pray only for today’s needs…? “Give us this day our daily bread.” Matthew 6:11. “Since I know that I have more than enough for today, why can’t I be content with it and give the rest to people who are in need?” Why should I be bothered about the size of my account balance in a bank when I do not know the size of my treasure balance in heaven? TARGET FOR TODAY’S GOOD DEED: I need to take my time and re-order my priorities in life. I seriously need to change my attitude to wealth and money and start preparing for the day I shall be called to give an account of my life. Good morning. Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you.
Posted on: Mon, 20 Oct 2014 07:33:49 +0000
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