Homily – 18th Sunday Ordinary Time (C)

As Christians we are both inward and outward looking people. Depending how we look at each there can be a great deal of benefit and equally it could have the opposite effect. Recently, the church celebrated the Feast of St Ignatius of Loyola. He was the champion of Ignatian Spiritual Exercises. It all started when while in recovery from his injury discerned the effect that worldly possessions and the great charitable works of the saints made him feel. By looking inwardly, he discovered the boundless treasure of joy. The rest of his story was history.

Our Gospel this 18^th Sunday draws attention to this wealthy person who was also inwardly looking.

‘There was once a rich man who, having had a good harvest from his land, thought to himself, “What am I to do? I have not enough room to store my crops.” Then he said, “This is what I will do; I will pull down my barns and build bigger ones, and store all my grain and my goods in them, and I will say to my soul: My soul, you have plenty of good things laid by for many years to come; take things easy, eat, drink, have a good time.”

The text says he thought to himself. He asked all these questions on how it might benefit him. There was certainly satisfaction is knowing how to manage his wealth and how that could be enjoyed. Not even the mention of his family or friends would benefit from his harvest makes an extreme example that the preoccupation of wealth can lead to.

Such an extreme example is not further from reality. Family disputes arise over matters of inheritance are not uncommon. The effect is costly, not only in financial terms but emotional. Jesus tells us bluntly there is a greater cost. This bluntness comes from knowing there is a greater treasure for us all.

By Fr Hoang Dinh