Foolish

The WORD today reminds me that it is foolish to focus on material things.

I used to play the game Shadow Fight 2 on my phone. The game, though action type, requires energy for you to fight. You also need coins so you can upgrade your weapons and armor. Coins are earned by fighting small battles. One time, I badly wanted to defeat the big boss of the level so I fought consecutive battles to win coins so I can upgrade my weapons and armor. I was happy because I had enough coins to get upgrades, so the fight would be relatively easy. However, in the middle of the battle, the game suddenly shut down. Hassle. When I restarted the game, not only was my progress not saved, but my coins were lost as well! Super hassle!

That is something I don’t want to happen in life, and Jesus reminds us today not to let that happen, especially with our spiritual life.

It is foolish to accumulate worldly riches at the expense of eternal ones

Money, power, fame and influence take time to accumulate. However, it can be easily taken from us, either by someone more powerful, more famous, more influential or someone with more money. Worse, it can be taken overnight by God, when he decides to take us out of this world – only us with nothing we can bring. This is why we should not forget to accumulate eternal riches as well.

Worldly riches are not bad in themselves. They become bad, however, when they become the purpose of life. they become evil when we commit evil and forget our values just to get more of them. IT becomes foolish when we focus on these riches and forget heavenly things and treasures we can work for even if we’re still here on earth.

We won’t be around forever, so we do not need too much. I believe God always gives us enough to get by - enough for our needs. He gives us enough blessings to live and be able to serve him. The extras that we want are just that - wants. We compare ourself with others. We want others to look up to us or envy us. These are unnecessary, and the cause of our unhappiness.

Do I have a lot in life? How? Do I want a lot in life? Why? Do I want more than what i need because I want to share with others, or because I want to show off to other? How did I get my riches? Did I compromise my values and my faith, or did I work hard and honest to get them?

May we remember to also focus on heavenly things – to do good, to pray, to spend time with and serve God, even as we accumulate and work for earthly riches to not only to survive here on earth, but to share with others as well.

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. Thank you for another chance to love and serve you. Thank you for another week. thank you for the reminder not to be a rich fool. Lord, sorry for the times I act like the rich fool. Sorry for being too focused on worldly things that I neglect spiritual ones. Sorry for not giving enough time and attention for you. I ask that you help me focus on you and live right. Help me live wise. May I never be too focused on accumulating earthly riches at the expense of my soul. May my focus always be right and my values intact. Help me live preparing for the time you will call me to be with you. Amen.

Blessed Week!

In Christ,

-g-

Daily Readings

October 21 2019

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Monday of the Twenty-ninth Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 473

Reading 1 ROM 4:20-25

Brothers and sisters:
Abraham did not doubt God's promise in unbelief;
rather, he was empowered by faith and gave glory to God
and was fully convinced that what God had promised
he was also able to do.
That is why it was credited to him as righteousness.
But it was not for him alone that it was written
that it was credited to him;
it was also for us, to whom it will be credited,
who believe in the one who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead,
who was handed over for our transgressions
and was raised for our justification.

Responsorial Psalm LUKE 1:69-70, 71-72, 73-75

R.(see 68) Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; he has come to his people.
He has come to his people and set them free.
He has raised up for us a mighty savior,
born of the house of his servant David.
R. Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; he has come to his people.
Through his holy prophets he promised of old
that he would save us from our enemies,
from the hands of all who hate us.
He promised to show mercy to our fathers
and to remember his holy covenant.
R. Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; he has come to his people.
This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham:
to set us free from the hands of our enemies,
free to worship him without fear,
holy and righteous in his sight all the days of our life.
R. Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; he has come to his people.

Alleluia MT 5:3

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed are the poor in spirit;
for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel LK 12:13-21

Someone in the crowd said to Jesus,
"Teacher, tell my brother to share the inheritance with me."
He replied to him,
"Friend, who appointed me as your judge and arbitrator?"
Then he said to the crowd,
"Take care to guard against all greed,
for though one may be rich,
one's life does not consist of possessions."

Then he told them a parable.
"There was a rich man whose land produced a bountiful harvest.
He asked himself, 'What shall I do,
for I do not have space to store my harvest?'
And he said, 'This is what I shall do:
I shall tear down my barns and build larger ones.
There I shall store all my grain and other goods
and I shall say to myself, "Now as for you,
you have so many good things stored up for many years,
rest, eat, drink, be merry!"'
But God said to him,
'You fool, this night your life will be demanded of you;
and the things you have prepared, to whom will they belong?'
Thus will it be for the one who stores up treasure for himself
but is not rich in what matters to God."