“If today you hear His voice, harden not your hearts.”
The readings for this Sunday bring our attention on the meaning and purpose of life. The meaning of life does not consist in getting rich nor do our lives not consist of having possessions. The purpose of life is not to have the most “toys”- no matter how wonderful and beautiful and useful they are. No matter how hard you try to collect them, they cannot provide ends in themselves. But rather they are a means to an end, instruments to help us fulfill a much higher purpose, that of knowing and loving God.
In our modern, sophisticated, fast paced and competitive society, we tend to loose sense of the meaning and purpose of life. Way too often we get caught in the “Rat Race” of life – real conflict between who I am created to be and who I am tempted to be. So, today the Sacred Scripture offers us an awakening with such words as “vanity” or “foolishness”. They certainly do not help to express our confidence, nor define our personal accomplishments but offer an opportunity for a profound reflection upon the purpose and meaning in life. They offer us an opportunity to reflect on our personal relationship with the Lord and people around us. They invite us in the midst of high gas prices and rising inflation to reflect upon what we think is important to us and to describe in our words, deeds and actions what my mission in life is.
A Christian's mission in life is to know, love, and follow Christ more and more closely every day, and to help as many people as possible to do the same. This is a clear, solid, substantial description of our mission. Let’s make no mistake – we need money and possessions in order to live dignified lives, and it is certainly no sin to enjoy them. But if striving after them makes us neglect a healthy relationship with God, the Church, and our neighbors, we will come to a tragic end, just like the rich man in the parable. Jesus knows how easily we are tempted by money and possessions - they seem to promise so much!
That's why He makes this lesson so clear. "Take care to guard against all greed," He warns. Instead, if we want a truly fulfilling life, we should strive to be "rich in what matters to God." So, this is our mission, which we can only fulfill if we become as mission-centered as Christ was, not letting ourselves get sidetracked. We have to be as eager and hardworking in pursuit of goodness and holiness as the man in the barn-building parable was in pursuit of money. After all, "God does not expect us to be successful but to be faithful."- St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta.
On Monday, we will enter the month of August that traditionally is dedicated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. With her intercessions, example, commitment, and dedication, let us discover the ultimate treasure of our lives – her Jesus, who alone, can satisfy the thirst in our hearts. Jesus, and Jesus alone, can fill the void in our lives.
“We cannot get a real satisfaction out of work unless we pause, frequently, to ask ourselves why we are doing it, and whether its purpose is one (of which) our minds wholeheartedly approve.” – The Wisdom of Fulton Sheen.
I wish you a blessed, relaxing, and Christ-seeking week.