HOMILY OF THE 29TH MONDAY IN ORDINARY TIME: YEAR A
HOMILY THEME: “Master, tell my brother to give me a share of our inheritance.”
BY: Bishop Anthony Ewherido
Instead of settling that dispute, Jesus teaches us a lesson on the dangers of riches and greed. The “love of money is the root of all evil” (1 Tim 6:10). Family relationships and friendships often disintegrate because of disputes over money and property; resulting sometimes in the loss of lives. No society, not even the church, thrives when money takes central place.
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Jesus teaches us that too much attachment to money and material wealth is detrimental to our life. Money has no lasting value. When greed and the lust for money and material wealth rule, God is usually benched. So, also are human beings. Today’s parable actually suggests that God laughs at our foolishness at such times. He calls the shots. On the day that God says, “enough of the money craze,” and calls us home, we will not take a penny with us. So, why the hoard and greed? Who we are and what we have come from God. God would not deprive us of it; but, we must account for our stewardship before HIM. Jesus teaches us today that true wealth is not in the things that we set our heart to: houses, cars, fat bank accounts, huge reserves, and the power flowing therefrom. Sooner or later, we will be separated from them. Then, even the richest will have just about the same casket space with the poorest, equally at the mercy of undiscriminating voracious worms. Become rich in God’s sight by faith and charity, living with heaven in view; generous, kind, merciful, selfless, compassionate and empathetic; paying attention to those on the margins of society; hearing God’s word and living by it. God gives to us so that we may be sharers of his blessings, empowering others and thus opening our lives to further and better blessings. Paul exhorts us to be like Abraham: called to faith and trust in a faithful God. He reminds us that “God has power to do what he has promised.” Abraham’s faith in that assertion is the reason that his faith is considered to have justified him. St. Paul therefore notes that like Abraham, our own faith will be “considered” if we truly believe in the God, who raised Jesus from death, after he was crucified for our sins, in order to justify us.
Lord, teach me to build treasures in heaven. Amen.