What Value Has Life Without God?

(Homily for the 18^th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C)

     The overriding themes emanating from the first reading and the Gospel are that of avarice, and the futility of the human earthly toil, especially when God is relegated to the background. No doubt, these two elements seem unfortunately to be the portrait or image of our contemporary society. Avarice, the idolatry of things and the desire for insatiable acquisition seem to be the major drive in our society today. It leads man or woman to self-deception, many a times of banking for our eternal life in the life without future. Little wonder, in the first reading the author asks: “What has a man from all the toil and strain with which he toils beneath the sun?” (v.22). Similarly, in the Gospel Jesus takes up this theme of vanity, but from a different perspective: “Watch, and be on your guard against avarice of any kind, for life does not consist in possession, even when someone has more than he needs” (v. 15). The second reading on its part, serves as a complementary admonition to the invitation of Jesus: “if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God” (v.1). Thus, the three readings present two ways of living. There is the way of living of the “old man” and the way of living of the “new man.” The new man recognizes everything as vanity and as such everything comes from God (first reading), the old man that accumulated wealth for himself without reference and reverence to God (Gospel) and indeed, the new man that seeks things that are above (second reading).

     In the first reading (Eccl. 1:2; 2:21-23) the sacred author asks: “What has a man from all the toil and strain with which he toils beneath the sun?” (v.22). What is the purpose for all these toils, if at the end he abandons all for another person? Does it worth it? This question raised by the sacred author ought to be a pertinent question that every wise person has to ask himself or herself. The sacred author is not a pessimist, he is not in despair, rather a wise person, who reflects, a realistic spiritual guide who desires to lead man and woman out from the enchantment of ephemeral things, material things that often erode peace from the heart. They create torment and inquietude. And he comes up with a solution thus: that man or woman should enjoy life as a gift from God, has to live in the holy fear of God, that is with the worry of not displeasing him and to trust in him by obeying his commandments. The book of Ecclesiastes exposes in an eloquent manner what human life is apart from God, and as such, it prepares the ground for the advent of the Gospel of Christ. On a closer look, it does appear that the message of this book is a discomforting message that paves way for the Good news. Be that as it may, human life is meaningless if considered in itself, apart from God.

     However, the most exhausting response to the question raised by the sacred writer in the first reading was given by Jesus in the Gospel pericope (Lk. 12:13-21). To the question: “What has a man from all the toil and strain with which he toils beneath the sun?” Jesus says: “Watch, and be on your guard against avarice of any kind, for life does not consist in possession, even when someone has more than he needs” (v.19). Indeed, man has no profit of all his toils on earth, if during his life on earth he is occupied and worried only on how to accumulate wealth for himself egoistically, if one thinks that everything in this life revolves around possession and acquisition, if during his life he does not make effort to enrich himself with good works before God. We are called therefore, not to put our trust and confidence in things that pass away, but to anchor one’s life in eternal values.

     In the passage of today’s Gospel it is quite surprising the initiative of a certain man that approached Jesus inviting him to come and settle the land dispute between him and the his brother. We may cursorily ask: what concerns Jesus with this? But for every Jew it was very much natural to go to the religious authority to resolve even juridical issues. As a matter of fact, the Mosaic Law does not make a clear cut distinction between the civil, ecclesiastical and the moral laws. However, Jesus refused to intervene as a judge in such legal issues. He did not come to settle disagreements of legal or juridical characters, or to reform the society temporally. That notwithstanding Jesus gives a response with general moral imports which touches the heart of every disagreement.

     What is the general moral character that Jesus gives to this particular case? On this Jesus said: “Watch, and be on your guard against avarice of any kind, for life does not consist in possession, even when someone has more than he needs” (v.15). The ultimate cause of contrast or disagreement, be it at the family or social level is avarice, the inordinate desire for possession. As a matter of fact, many a times, discords and misunderstanding in the families arise as a result of material interest, or the case maybe that one part or the other is not contended with what is just. In the same vein, social contrasts and class struggles are equally caused by insatiability and personal interest, which goes on to create social disequilibrium. It is as a result of all this that Jesus warned: “guard against avarice of every kind”. We should make effort not to be slave(s) to avarice and to uproot it from our hearts.

     Moreover, Jesus in his response again gives a more profound motivation for the necessity of guiding oneself from the avarice of material things, not because it is the cause of political, economic and social controversies, but because it does not resolve the existential problems of the individual, little wonder, Jesus said: “for life does not consist in possession, even when someone has more than he needs”. Life indeed, does not depend on material wealth that one possesses. This entails that material possession is not a security or immunity against death. For when death comes it does not give time for one to enjoy his possessions, as it was the case of the rich man in today’s parable. Therefore, “What does it profit a man to have gained the whole world, and to have lost or ruined his very self?” (Lk. 9:25).

     The human dignity or a person’s worth is not based or measured on his material possessions. Your worth is anchored on who you are, and not on what you have or possess. Your worth depends on who you are as a human being and as a Christian, not on external acquisitions and accruements. On the other hand, material wealth does not guarantee happiness, for many a times it creates inquietude, anguish and delusion. Jesus says: Fool! Foolishness “is when someone stores up treasure for himself instead of becoming rich in the sight of God” (v.21). Fool is one who accumulates wealth for himself. For indeed, what matters and counts is to enrich oneself in the sight of God, with grace, holiness, and good works. The only riches worth pursuing are those that have an eternal value. “Store up treasures for yourselves in heaven, where neither moth nor woodworm destroys them and thieves cannot break in and steal” (Mt. 6:20).

     The second reading (Col. 3:1-5, 9-11) is suggestive of what a Christian has to do, and that is the invitation to live simply and effectively our baptismal call. For baptism unites us to and with Christ, it makes us to participate in his divine life and invites us to share in his glory, therefore, we have to fix our gaze on our target: Eternal Life. For this, he admonishes: “seek the things that are above…set your minds on things that are above” (vv.1-2). In this epistle, St. Paul acknowledged the risen life as a reality in which the baptized already participates in. However, he emphasized on the ethical imperative: “seek those things”, “put to death”, “do not lie”, that is a transcendent way of living.

     Baptism is a new birth to a new life in Christ: “you have been raised with Christ” (v.1). And again: “you have put off the old man with his practices and have put on the new man” (vv.9-10). Here, St. Paul uses the verb in the past tense to indicate what took place in the baptism of the Christians of Corinth. Every Christian therefore, has to live his baptismal calling day by day; all his or her existence ought to be a continuous effort to “put to death what is earth”. The dynamics are “stripping oneself” of vices and sins and “clothing oneself” with the Christian virtues, with Christ, the New Man, and thus appropriating his mind and sentiments. Baptism as a newness of life, new life in Christ, implies a new way of living, acting and relating with others. And above all, a new way of judging or considering the dignity and value of the human person, no longer based on race, nationality, colour of the skin and social prestige, but now with reference to Christ who is the all in all. Above all, the hit track of the epistle reading revolves around the words: “your life is hidden with Christ in God” (v. 3), but interestingly today, through, with and in the Eucharist, God is hidden with Christ in our life!

     A proper look at the Gospel pericope reveals an attempt therein to draw together the messages of the first and the second readings. The rich fool lived his life without reference and reverence to God, and as such, was caught up in the futility and nothingness of this passing world. He lived without reference to the transcendent; he failed to seek those things that are above. And suddenly comes the decisional moment: “this night your soul will be required of you”. For he thought that he had everything at his beck and call, and that his life was under his control. The rich fool condemned himself to a life that has no future! Drawing the issue further, the episode of the sudden death of the rich fool reminds us of how important the value of readiness is, we cannot but remember the great midnight cry with eschatological imports: “But at midnight there was a cry, Look! The bridegroom! Go out and meet him” (Mt. 25:6). May we make effort to overcome the sin of avarice and understand that our existence and possessions without God are vanity. Life without God and eternal values are worthless. May our gaze be continually fixed on the things that are above where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Amen!!!

(Fr. Vitus Chigozie, SC)