Dear Parishioners,
Somebody wrote: “Money will buy a bed but not sleep; books but not brains; food but not appetite; finery but not beauty; a house but not a home; medicine but not health; luxuries but not culture; amusements but not happiness; religion but not salvation – a passport to everywhere but not heaven.” This poem seems to indicate that the material things money can buy, have no absolute value.
Vanity of vanities, says Qoheleth, vanity of vanities! All things are vanity! This is what the First Reading says today.
Everything in your life is negotiable to God. They are all fleeting. There's only one thing that's non-negotiable to God: your soul. That means your wealth, your health, your security – the things that we consider most important, can be taken away from us at any moment.
"What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? Or what can one give in exchange for his life?" Jesus said.
If blessing you with wealth, health and security will bless your soul, God will do that. I've experienced material blessings in my life. They are real, but I know material blessings are not God's priority. His priority is that you live forever. So, make that your priority as well.
Pension plan. Medical Plan. Life Plan. Probably you have them all figured out. But what about your Eternal Life Plan? Do you have that figured out?
Let us live for eternal riches.
Sincerely in Christ,
Father Lito