EIGHTEENTH SUNDAY OF THE YEAR
‘Be on your guard against avarice of any kind’ This is the only parable in the New Testament in which words are attributed to God. He calls the young man ‘fool’ for his blind pursuit of wealth and possessions, without making any effort to make himself rich in the sight of God. In our world today we never had so much wealth and possessions, and yet there was never less contentment and security. We look around to see bigger houses, higher walls, security cameras, guard dogs and electric fences. Covetousness is the road to slavery! The person who does not know what is enough will never have enough. In Kenya the practice exists of removing the clothes from the dead before burying them to remind the living that we leave the world the same way we came into it. Come to think of it, we came into the world with fists clenched but we leave it with hands wide open!
‘He who is not contented with what he has would not be contented with what he would like to have’ (Socrates).
‘Earth provides enough to satisfy every man’s needs, but not every man’s greed’ (Mahatma Gandhi).