Father Nathan Homily | July 28, 2019
Father Nathan | Homily
18th Sunday Ordinary Time (August 04, 2019)
Fr. Nathan
Introduction:
“Seek What is Above”
This 18th Sunday liturgy invites each one of us to be SMARTER people in handling the worldly resources. We called to “seek what is above” as St. Paul pleads us to do.
Hence, we are invited to store up treasure and riches toward God. Money and wealth doesn’t come alone, it always comes in PACKAGE, like greedy, egoistic, selfishness, arrogance… the list is unending ….hence how we deal with these are explained to us in our liturgy.
Scripture lessons:
The first reading, taken from Ecclesiastes, reminds us the nihilism or the emptiness of life.
Wealth does not allow us to look at reality of life…
In the Responsorial Psalm (Ps 90), the Psalmist challenges us to listen to God and allow Him to soften our hearts that we may share our blessings with others.
In the second reading, Paul directs our attention to lasting, Heavenly treasures.
In today’s Gospel, Jesus, telling the parable of the foolish rich man, warns us against all types of greed, because greed takes our life’s focus away from God and away from serving and loving Him in other people. Wealth would claim itself as God.
It would never allow you to think of others.
Let us the some Pronouns. It’s all about ME…I…. MY in Today’s gospel…
What shall I do? I do not have space… to store my harvest…
This is what I shall…
I shall tear down my barns…
There I shall store all my grain…
I shall say to myself, “Now as for you… you have so many good things stored up…
Jesus says God calls the greedy rich man a “FOOL” because the man thought that he was not accountable for the way he used his riches.
The rich man forgot that his wealth had been lent to him by God for sharing with the needy. He allowed the wealth to take control of him. Jesus also warns us that our eternal life does not consist of earthly possessions (Lk 12:15), which we should share to gain eternal life.
Life Messages:
We are invited to share our blessings with others.
The parable of the rich fool gives us a warning as well as an invitation. It reminds us that our possessions are merely lent to us by God, and that we are accountable for their use.
We must be generous in sharing our time, our treasure, and our talents in Christian stewardship. Even if we are not financially great, we may be blessed with intelligence, good will, singing, lecturing, a sense of humor or the ability to console, encourage, inspire and support and help others.
God expects us to give our thanks to Him for all these blessings by sharing them with others for His glory.
The Old Testament Scriptures are clear about tithing – giving 10% of our income for God’s cause and for helping the needy. God never allows tithers to regret their generosity.
Greed directs all our energy and attention to fulfilling the self, its objects become our false gods, and they will consume us unless we become rich in the sight of God.
Have a Blessed Week,
Fr. Nathan
Join
Join our Parish Family
Register in the parish, so that it’s easy to become a confirmation sponsor or Godparent.
Volunteer
Want to Lend a Helping Hand?
Find volunteer opportunities and share your talents.
Get Help
Need a Helping Hand?
We are here to help. Request home visits, send a prayer request. For urgent needs call 954.943.3684
Give
Coming Soon
Set up Online Giving.
You can make a one-time donation or set up recurring gifts.
Past Messages from Father Nathan
From The Desk Of Father Nathan | August 9, 2026
A Tribute to my Mother
She loved God, the Church, and her priests.
“The greatest gift God can give to a family is a priestly or religious vocation. A vocation born in a family is God’s blessing to that family, a joy to the parish, and a grace to the whole community.” The quote above is often attributed to St. John Bosco, and I have always felt it speaks the truth about my own family.
From The Desk Of Father Nathan | August 2, 2026
A Tribute to my Mother
She loved God, the Church, and her priests.
“The greatest gift God can give to a family is a priestly or religious vocation. A vocation born in a family is God’s blessing to that family, a joy to the parish, and a grace to the whole community.” The quote above is often attributed to St. John Bosco, and I have always felt it speaks the truth about my own family.
From The Desk Of Father Nathan | July 26, 2026
The Gift of Time and Prayer.
If the secular world cannot come to Christ in prayer, why don’t we bring them to Christ through our prayers? They are weary and burdened, and they, too, need to find rest in Christ Jesus. Prayer honors God. It acknowledges His presence and His greatness. It exalts His power, trusts in His providence, seeks His help, and, above all, makes us humble.
From The Desk Of Father Nathan | July 19, 2026
The Eucharist: The Center of Our Lives. My dearest people, closest to my heart,
As a second and third grader, I would sometimes go to church at 3:00 a.m. and sleep on the church steps until it was time to open the doors. That was simply part of my routine. I wanted to be an altar server…
From The Desk Of Father Nathan | July 05, 2026
Discover the meaning of the Holy Mass, why it is the heart of Catholic worship, and the many intentions for which a Mass may be offered.
From The Desk Of Father Nathan | June 28, 2026
God Bless America! 🇺🇸
“Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord.” — Psalm 33:12
As we celebrate 250 years of American freedom, let us give thanks to Almighty God for the many blessings bestowed upon this great nation.