St James Catholic Church

During the week many of us work hard to make our lives more comfortable, aiming for a promotion or raise, earning enough to afford the finer things in life, putting money away for an easy retirement.  Today’s readings will give us the bit of shock we need to put those parts of our life in perspective.  In a consumer-oriented society such as ours, the lessons from the liturgy of the word are countercultural.  We are challenged to reject the idea that money brings happiness or at least makes it easier to achieve. 

We try to control our life in every way.  We take care of our bodies to ensure our good health.  We take care of our possessions to enjoy our success.  We take care of our assets so that we can afford a house, or our children’s education, or our retirement.  We tend to labor under the illusion that we can control our future.  Financial success reinforces that illusion.  What we hoard can be lost in a heartbeat.  What we give away will go on.  “Vanity of vanities,” cries the first reading, ridiculing the idea that we have total control over the rest of our lives.  The gospel says, “Avoid greed in all its forms.”  We are encouraged to build wealth, instead, is what matters to God.  “Seek what is above,” says Paul to the Colossians.  May we all reorient ourselves toward what really matters-replacing greed with generosity, and to see all our gifts and possessions as gifts from God to be shared and enjoyed by all his children.

Love, Peace, Joy,

Fr. Bob