Let us prepare now

Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time C
August 12, 2007
Wisdom 18:6-9; Psalm: 33:1, 12, 18-19, 20-22
Hebrews 11:1-2, 8-19 or 11:1-2, 8-12;
Luke 12:32-48 or 12:35-40

After the parable of the rich man last week, we heard today from the Gospel another parable of Jesus reminding us what really is our true wealth, treasure that never perish, that is eternal life in the Kingdom of God.

There is a big contrast between earthly treasure which will perish and heavenly treasure which is imperishable. We cannot bring our big houses, expensive car, jewelries, money and even our good looks in heaven. What we will carry with us when we die is not our bank account but the measure of our love for God and our love for neighbour.

The message of the Gospel today is clear; the master portrays our Lord returning to fetch us on the day of our death. Jesus is asking you and I today, “are you now prepared?” Jesus is not asking if you are prepared tomorrow or next week, he is explicitly asking us here and now, “are you prepared?” Have you and I stored enough treasure in heaven that will never perish? Are we still like the foolish rich man in the parable last week who placed his trust and security alone in his money and material wealth?

There is a story of a conversation between a young and ambitious lad and an older man who knew life. Said the young man.
“I will learn my trade (be professional)
“And then?” said the older man.
“I will set up in business.”
“And then?”
“I will make my fortune.”
“And then?”
“I suppose that I shall grow and retire and live on my money.”
“And then?”
“Well, I suppose that some day I will die.”
“And then?”

Last Friday night, our new regional bishop Bishop Christopher Prowse confirmed our students from Corpus Christi School. He delivered a powerful and challenging homily. He said, as our modern society grow richer people suffers a disease called “affluenza.” It’s a disease of the soul caused by being over-materialistic. The more we buy things, big houses, luxury cars, expensive clothes; all the more we acquire wealth and pleasures and forgetting about God’s presence, the more we become lonely and depressed. Wealth does not guarantee a life of love. That is why the richest man is not necessarily the happiest, even if his wealth can provide him much pleasure in life.

Our real wealth is the kingdom of God. For Jesus, this should be the primary concern of our life. When we speak of true riches, though, two things are to be remembered. First, it is God who gives us this wealth: it is free! It is not acquired through our own efforts, unlike material wealth, which largely depends on our own toil. Heaven is not acquired by our own achievement it is not our achievement. By contrast, in true wealth, it is God who acts. We can do nothing without Him. Second, all we seek is that God establish His kingship over us. Our role is not passive, but it is exercised in active passivity. We allow God to rule our lives and our society. Not what you and I want, but what the Lord wants this is what prevails in our daily life.

It’s not sinful to enjoy the wealth and material things that we earned and worked hard for. We have the right to do so. But when material wealth causes us to treat God as our last or our least priority, then we endanger our soul.

Jesus is inviting each of us to be vigilant and watchful not only in our priorities in life but also our attitude towards God and our neighbour. “Gird your loins and light your lamps, and be like servants who await their mater’s return from a wedding, ready to open immediately when he comes and knocks.”

In the Gospel, as Jesus admonishes his disciples 2000 years ago to be vigilant for the “master's return,” to be eager to learn and do the “master's will,” and to be “faithful” though the master's coming is delayed, and so he is asking us today, here and now, to be ready, well-equipped and prepared.

Vigilance does not mean simply waiting for something to happen. Waiting for Christ to return means working for the coming of the Kingdom of God. It means mastering the virtue of kindness and compassion; it means ending the hatreds that divide us; establishing peace among ourselves, within our families, in society, and among the nations of the world; being vigilant means building a social structures that respect the dignity of individual humans, including the unborn.

Once again Jesus is knocking on the door of hearts now. Are you prepared? We don’t have to wait for the time of our death? Jesus wants to enter into deepest our heart now. He wants to be ready when he comes, he wants to us to be prepared. Let us renew our commitment to Jesus, let us pray to him like we never pray before.

Jesus wants us to be prepared because he loves us, as the Psalm says “(we).. are the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.”