HOMILÍAS/HOMILIES
Eighteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time
Cycle C
Readings: 1) Ecclesiastes 1:2; 2:21-23 2) Colossians 3:1-5, 9-11 3) Luke 12:13-21
When we hear the words of Sacred Scripture today we could ask ourselves, why work so much, why some much effort and tiredness? Today there are many people who seek happiness in the things that this materialistic world in which we live offers. We, as Christians, should seek, as Saint Paul councils us, the goods of heaven where Christ is waiting for us to reward us if we have lived a good life. As human beings, if we stop following God or even if we follow him but without giving of ourselves, we tend to seek those things that are here below and we forget about the most important thing, that to this world we do not come to say forever and that death will come to all, however rich or young we are now. The Lord shows us that the one, whose heart, which is made for eternal life, is dedicated to possessing material things, runs the risk of losing everything.
Let us remember frequently that our passage through this world is not meant to make us rich in material things. Nor are we here to become famous personalities. We were born to thank God for everything that he has given us, beginning with life. If we do this, God will not abandon us. If we administer well what we have and depend on him, God will multiply it. That is why it is important to thank the Lord for what we posses and then leave everything in his hands.
It is always important to consider how fragile life is and how close we are to death. We should face death without fear since thinking about death will show us how better to live our days. Because the time that we have here is not bought and paid for nor is it assured and we do not know how long it will last. Therefore, we should not lose time distancing ourselves from God. Our time in this world is really short so we should not get too attached to earthly things because when our time comes, when the Lord calls us, all what we own stays here. That is why the Lord warns us to be prepared always. Only the one who knows how to follow God, living a good life, will be able to take advantage of the days spent here on earth.
Some people would say that thinking about death is morbid. Nevertheless, I would tell them that meditating on death is a good preparation for eternal life. It makes us think before we do things and, in that way, prevent sin and it helps us to give our life a truer meaning. It also shows us to do without material things and be more tolerant of others.
The readings of the Mass today do not tell us that we should not fear death, they tell us that what we should fear is a life separated from God, since we do not know when the Lord will call to give him an accounting for what he have done, here on earth, with our lives.
Let us ask the Most Blessed Virgin Mary, who saw her young son, Jesus Christ, die on the Cross and later experienced the glory of her Risen Son, to intercede for us, “now and at the hour of our death.”