Homilies | Father Nathan

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