The Introduction
The lie about all of our stuff is this: We possess it. In fact, our possessions own us more powerfully than we can ever hope to claim them. Make a mental list of what you think you’ve got: home, car, lawn, furniture, education, bank accounts, title, position, relationships, and responsibilities. Whatever we have, it also has us. And what it costs us to maintain all of our stuff goes much deeper than our wallets. It takes time and life and effort and will to keep all the stuff of our lives in place.
Even the poorest person on the planet possesses something; the goal isn’t to renounce all resources because we can’t. We’d still be in possession of our lives. The spiritual goal is to surrender what we possess, so that it can’t make us less free. If we surrender our resources to God’s purposes, then no one can take anything from us. We become liberated when our worldly wealth is at the disposal of God’s will. Those who walk off with heavy hearts are dragging their possessions with them.
Which of your possessions is the most burdensome for you?
Tread lightly in your relationships. Make fewer demands, give without expecting anything in return. Free them, and yourself, from the burden of expectations.
“No chance at all if you think you can pull it off by yourself. Every chance in the world if you let God do it”.
The Scripture (Mark 10: 23-25)
Looking at his disciples, Jesus said, “Do you have any idea how difficult it is for people who ‘have it all’ to enter God’s kingdom?” The disciples couldn’t believe what they were hearing, but Jesus kept on: “You can’t imagine how difficult. I’d say it’s easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye than for the rich to get into God’s kingdom”.
The Story – Make Time to Give Thanks
It’s Sunday morning. You can tell. People flood to their place of worship and kneel before the symbols of all that brings them joy and happiness in their lives. Unfortunately, the temple to which many people make their pilgrimage is the health club, the gym where they look for eternal youth on the elliptical machine or treadmill or stationary bicycle. In so many ways, it is greater source of competition than anything else that might keep people from church.
Others can be found kneeling, but in their driveways. They are polishing the chrome wheels of the car they treat with more awe and respect than any person they know. It has become a symbol, an idol, worshipped at the altar of success and financial independence. The problem is it will rust, scratch, and eventually be left behind for a newer model.
Our bodies are important. But there is more to life than them. Our possessions make our lives rather pleasant. But we cannot live for them alone.
In the end we will owe an accounting of ourselves to God. What will our lives have shown to have been most important to us; what did we prize the most? Perhaps all of us could see a little more time kneeling in church, or at the side of our beds for that matter, thanking God for what is truly important and showing our gratitude by our actions for all the graces and blessings given to us.
The Reflection
Imagine a table. I want you to put all the things you want to give to God: your time, talents, money; your home, your friends, your loved ones; your job, your plans, your future. You are going to need a great big round table. We raise up the things we want to give to God and say, ‘All things come from you, O God, and of your own do we give you’. But wait, one thing that God wants is still missing. Who knows what it is? GOD WANTS YOU. More than any gift, more than gold or silver, God wants you. God wants you to give of yourself. God wants you to give your love. God wants you more than anything. Saint Paul said, ‘If I give away all my possessions … but do not have love, I gain nothing’ (1 Corinthians 13: 3).
The Commissioning
Let us go from here as those who know true wealth:
the sound of a waterfall, the beauty of a sunset, the joy of children’s laughter, the embrace of a loved one, the trust of a friend, a good bed at the end of the day, a favourite song sung in our church, the companionship of serving the needy, the life, death, and rising of Jesus Christ. Amen.
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