RENEWsletter for August 1, 2010 - 18th

Hi, all--
The transitory nature of life and wealth wasn't lost on the writer of Ecclesiastes. And over the past few years here in Silicon Valley, it hasn't been lost on us, either. How many fortunes were lost in the "Dot Com" bust? How many lives are lost in senseless violence? How many hopes are ruined by disease, downsizing, and death? I guess there really is "nothing new under the sun!" (Ecclesiastes 1.9). But there's an alternative to putting all one's hopes and bets on earthly stuff...

This coming Sunday is the Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time and the readings can be found on the web at: http://www.usccb.org/nab/080110.shtml, and in your Bible in:

Ecclesiastes 1.2; 2.21-23
Psalm 90.3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 14, 17 with v. 1 as the response
Colossians 3.1-5, 9-11
Luke 12.13-21

In the First Reading, Qoheleth, the writer of Ecclesiastes, has a dim view of life: "All things are vanity!" (Eccl 1.2). He laments that though we labor all our lives to build up a good, sound retirement, it is gone in an afternoon, like a vapor in the hot sun (ch. 2, v. 21). (The word translated "vanity" means "breath" or "vapor".) There are many people in the world, in this country, indeed right here in our own Parish, who have watched their retirement dwindle alarmingly. Gone in an afternoon? Some fortunes disappeared with the click of a mouse button! Have you ever lost any sleep worrying about the future... or the morrow? (v. 23). I have! Tell me about vanity!

The Responsorial Psalm gives God's perspective on the days and treasures of this world. A thousand years to the Lord are as but yesterday (Ps 90.4). This psalm was written as a general communal lament... perhaps after the stock market of 1000 BC crashed? Or invading hoards carried off all the brokers? The point is, there is nothing new under the sun. We need to learn to "number our days aright" (v. 12) to keep things in perspective. And "if today you hear his voice, harden not your heart" (v. 1). We may not hear his voice tomorrow.

Paul in the Second Reading admonishes believers to adopt a different perspective on wealth. Wealth is fine, but we should be thinking about what is above, not how our portfolio is doing (Col. 3.2). Our energy should be expended doing God's work. And what is God's work? It's our attitude, our perspective, our behavior when we've taken off the old self and put on the New Self (v. 9-10). In other words, when we've died to the old perspectives and risen to a new life in Christ. This can be very hard to do sometimes, and we might tend to rationalize saying "Well, the Lord helps those who help themselves!" But there's no reference in the Bible for that quote... we've made that up ourselves. In point of fact, God helps those who are helpless! See, Matthew 11.28, Proverbs 28.26.

Jesus, as recorded by Luke in the Gospel Reading, also dealt with retirement issues. Someone came to Jesus because he thought his brother was cheating him out of part of his inheritance, and he wanted Jesus to step in. (You suppose that guy's brother was the "prodigal son"?) Jesus dodged that issue by saying it wasn't up to him to arbitrate that kind of dispute (Luke 12.14). Instead he gave an illustration of God's perspective on inheritance. And what is God's perspective? God snorts and says, "You fool! Tonight your life will be required of you. And who will spend your retirement then?" (v. 20).

"Thus will it be for all who store up treasure for themselves but are not rich in what matters to God" (v. 21). If you are "rich in what matters to God" it won't matter if you have a good retirement or not. It becomes immaterial. And what are the things that matter to God? Go back and read the Colossians passage again. And remember, "What is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" (Matthew 16.26).

We can trust God this week -- and the rest of our lives -- to take care of us. So let's try to view things from an eternal perspective. But if we can't, we don't need to worry about that either! God does take care of us, even past the time our lives will be required of us.

Randy Jones
Those who cannot see past the end of their nose fear they’re going to bump into something!