BE KIND AND GENEROUS
Memorial of Saints John de Brébeuf and Isaac Jogues, Priests, & Companions, Martyrs
My dear encountered couples:
Let us imagine who this rich man Jesus is telling us about in his parable. Let us suppose that when he was young, he was a good man. He was reliable, energetic, and ambitious. He wanted to succeed and was willing to pay the price. He lived a clean, hard-working life; didn’t fool around, didn’t run around. As long as he had a goal to accomplish, he remained a good man in everybody’s eyes, even in the eyes of God.
But once he arrived at his goal in life, that’s when he began to change - and to the worse. It is oftener easier to achieve success than to know how to use it well after you’ve got it. Many people are better when they have a hill to climb than after they’ve gotten to the top of that hill.
In other words, this rich man in the story Jesus told, did not know how to use the wealth he had acquired. The dream of success that goaded him on all through life and kept him out of trouble now became for him his downfall.
Instead of celebrating his arrival at his goal in life by being kind and generous to those who never were able to make it to the top, he became closed within himself; he became thoughtless, selfish, and hard. While he ate, drank, and made merry for his own pleasure, he forgot the most important goal of life. He forgot God and heaven.
That can easily happen to those who allow themselves to become isolated from people less fortunate. No matter how high you go in life, never forget the needs of others. No matter how protected, how special and royal you become, be kind and generous to everyone.
So, today may be a good day to ask ourselves: Who and what is most important in my life? Is it money, status, possessions, esteem? Or is it the people that I love or the many individuals who are in need? Do I strive to make a difference in our world by my love, care and generosity? Do I freely share the many gifts that God has given me?
Jesus tells us parables for our benefit. Let us not miss their meanings.
