Weekly Reflection

Sunday, 1 August 2010

18th Sunday of the Year – Let go and let God

In the 3rd Century BC, Greek influences were being felt throughout Palestine, especially in Jerusalem. Alexander the Great kicked the Syrians out of their captive states. He died in 323 BC. Two Greek generals divided the empire between them. The Jews were ruled by these generals and their successors, more or less benignly, until an upheaval in about 170 BC.

After that the Romans took over. We know about them. They were there when Jesus lived and died.

I mention those few historical facts to provide a context for our first reading (Ecclesiastes 1: 1, 2: 21-23).

The dynamism of Greek civilisation came from its confidence in the unlimited resources of human thinking. Greek philosophers strove to explain all the mysteries of human destiny.

Western humanism does the same today, ‘Ecclesiastes’, a pen name meaning ‘he who gathers the people together’, assumed the persona of King Solomon to teach 3rd Century BC Jews the wisdom necessary to combat Greek humanism.

For example, he opposed Greek optimism. He taught Jews to face the human dilemma, especially mortality. Another example – live the present moment to the full by solving problems, within reach, day by day. Enjoy the happiness that God has in store for you today, leave the rest up to Him!

As charismatic Catholics have taught us: ‘Let go and let God!’

Again, our gospel passage (Luke 12: 13-21) easily follows the core theme of the first reading from Ecclesiastes.

The parable of the foolish rich man certainly belongs to an ancient tradition of wisdom literature. There’s nothing new under the sun is there? Two modern examples of wisdom film craft come to mind – ‘Harry Potter’ and ‘Lord of the Rings’.

Back to our parable. Jesus seems to have refused by the way, to arbitrate between two brothers contesting an estate. He had bigger fish to fry! He sent the two contenders to the proper authority but profited from the incident to raise the debate to a higher level: are riches worth so much worry and strain? Social analysts regularly alert us to status anxiety. It’s foolish to forget that death will deprive us of all wealth.

It is genuine wisdom to make oneself rich in God’s sight by sharing our wealth while we live.

The rich fool in the parable discovered too late that material wealth is not a permanent possession.

Because he had devoted all his energy to amassing wealth through property, he had nothing special he could call his own, and death disclosed his essential poverty. The only possession worthy of human striving are those death can’t take away.

Jesus would have our Catholic Church of the 21st Century be prophetic about wealth!

We need to create a more authentic human community, which cannot exist when only a few control wealth, culture and decision making.

 


  Read reflections from other Sundays by Father Maguire