“Vanity of vanities!” says the Teacher, “vanity of vanities! All is vanity. Even one who has toiled with wisdom and knowledge and skill must leave all to be enjoyed by another who did not toil for it. This also is vanity and a great evil. What do mortals get from all the toil and strain with which they toil under the sun? For all their days are full of pain, and their work is a vexation; even at night their minds do not rest. This also is vanity.”
Second reading Colossians 3:1-5, 9-11
Second reading Colossians 3:1-5, 9-11
Since you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth, for you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life is revealed, then you also will be revealed with him in glory.
Put to death, therefore, whatever in you is earthly: fornication, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed (which is idolatry). Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have stripped off the old self with its practices and have clothed yourselves with the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of its creator. In that renewal there is no longer Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and free; but Christ is all and in all!
Put to death, therefore, whatever in you is earthly: fornication, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed (which is idolatry). Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have stripped off the old self with its practices and have clothed yourselves with the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of its creator. In that renewal there is no longer Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and free; but Christ is all and in all!
Someone in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me.” But he said to him, “Friend, who set me to be a judge or arbitrator over you?” And he said to them, “Take care! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of possessions.”
Then he told them a parable: “The land of a rich man produced abundantly. And he thought to himself, ‘What should I do, for I have no place to store my crops?’ Then he said, I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, ‘Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.’ But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life is being demanded of you. And the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ So it is with those who store up treasures for themselves but are not rich toward God.”
Then he told them a parable: “The land of a rich man produced abundantly. And he thought to himself, ‘What should I do, for I have no place to store my crops?’ Then he said, I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, ‘Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.’ But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life is being demanded of you. And the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ So it is with those who store up treasures for themselves but are not rich toward God.”
Reflection
By Jessa Janelle Padilla
Nowadays, we tend to idolize money than God. We are living for material/earthly things which are just temporary. We disregard living our our real purpose or mission in life.
Our Gospel for today teaches us that what we have now can’t be brought to our graveyard or even the afterlife. Why most of us focus on becoming rich regardless of the legality of how we obtain it? Are we not aware that everything we have is just temporary and borrowed? We are just caretakers of what we have and as caretakers we must learn to value it and even share it with those in need. Anytime, our possessions will be taken away from us.
As I read my readings for my graduate studies, I was inspired by Antonio Meloto (the founder of Gawad Kalinga). Meloto is a devout Christian with a mission in life: to help the poor. He didn’t hesitate to live in the slums with criminals, drug addicts, and poor His agenda is to make them feel that they are loved and cared for in spire of still belonging to a harsh society. He uplifts them and provides ‘Kalinga’ (help) to change their life’s point of view. Can we ask ourselves if we too are willing, like Meloto, to live with those kinds of people? Most of us will say a Big NO. But wait, they are just victims of the harsh society and deprived from having the basic needs. For those reason they were forced to become such kind of people. Our mission as Catholics is to understand them instead of judging them. Giving care and love than driving them away. Let’s help them to rehabilitate themselves with our little act of kindness and understanding.
The desire to achieve and have everything is normal and okay with a note that we need to share it. Sharing is caring. My father taught me that I must not become greedy. I must be contented on what God provides us and share His blessings with those in need. As I grew up, I’ve learned the values of caring and sharing what I have with other people. My father always remind me that I must be thankful because God never fails to bless us abundantly.
Let us be not like the brother or the rich man in our Gospel today who only focused on gaining and not even know how to share. They only focused on themselves. My brothers and sisters, richness doesn’t define who we really are. The way we treat people regardless of our status in life defines us. God teaches us to share and a little act of kindness is worth a thousand grand.
Nowadays, we tend to idolize money than God. We are living for material/earthly things which are just temporary. We disregard living our our real purpose or mission in life.
Our Gospel for today teaches us that what we have now can’t be brought to our graveyard or even the afterlife. Why most of us focus on becoming rich regardless of the legality of how we obtain it? Are we not aware that everything we have is just temporary and borrowed? We are just caretakers of what we have and as caretakers we must learn to value it and even share it with those in need. Anytime, our possessions will be taken away from us.
As I read my readings for my graduate studies, I was inspired by Antonio Meloto (the founder of Gawad Kalinga). Meloto is a devout Christian with a mission in life: to help the poor. He didn’t hesitate to live in the slums with criminals, drug addicts, and poor His agenda is to make them feel that they are loved and cared for in spire of still belonging to a harsh society. He uplifts them and provides ‘Kalinga’ (help) to change their life’s point of view. Can we ask ourselves if we too are willing, like Meloto, to live with those kinds of people? Most of us will say a Big NO. But wait, they are just victims of the harsh society and deprived from having the basic needs. For those reason they were forced to become such kind of people. Our mission as Catholics is to understand them instead of judging them. Giving care and love than driving them away. Let’s help them to rehabilitate themselves with our little act of kindness and understanding.
The desire to achieve and have everything is normal and okay with a note that we need to share it. Sharing is caring. My father taught me that I must not become greedy. I must be contented on what God provides us and share His blessings with those in need. As I grew up, I’ve learned the values of caring and sharing what I have with other people. My father always remind me that I must be thankful because God never fails to bless us abundantly.
Let us be not like the brother or the rich man in our Gospel today who only focused on gaining and not even know how to share. They only focused on themselves. My brothers and sisters, richness doesn’t define who we really are. The way we treat people regardless of our status in life defines us. God teaches us to share and a little act of kindness is worth a thousand grand.
Prayer
Lord, enlighten our hearts to be generous and not greedy, to learn the value of sharing and caring. May we not just focus on gaining but rather value giving. May we also live our lives for heavenly desire and not for earthly things. This we ask in Jesus name. Amen
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