Saturday, August 11, 2007

19th Sunday in Ordinary Time, cycle C

LUKE 12:32-48
ONCE A TRAVELER PASSED A BEAUTIFUL GARDEN, A PART OF A GREAT ESTATE. HE ASKED THE GARDENER HOW LONG HE HAD BEEN TAKING CARE OF IT. THE GARDENER SAID, 25 YEARS. AND THE OWNER OF THE ESTATE, DOES HE ENJOY THIS WONDERFUL GARDEN? “HE IS NOT HERE VERY OFTEN,” SAID THE GARDENER. “WHEN WAS HE HERE LAST?” ABOUT 12 YEARS AGO, REPLIED THE GARDENER. “TWELVE YEARS? AND YET YOU KEEP THE GARDEN AS THOUGH HE IS GOING TO COME BACK TOMORROW? “NOT TOMORROW, THE GARDENER REPLIED, TODAY.
TODAY IN THE GOSPEL JESUS GIVES US THREE COMMANDS. THE FIRST IS “DO NOT BE AFRAID.” IF WE ASK OURSELVES WHAT IT MEANS TO BE AFRAID, WE ALL THINK WE KNOW. WE'VE EXPERIENCED MOMENTS WHEN THE ADRENALIN RUSHED ABOUT AND OUR HEARTS RACED. WE'VE HAD THOSE “NEAR MISSES” WHEN WE NEARLY HAD A CAR ACCIDENT OR ALMOST STEPPED OFF THE CURB INTO TRAFFIC – AT LEAST I HAVE – WHEN IN THE AFTERMATH WE'VE FOUND OURSELVES SHAKING. BUT JESUS IS REFERRING NOT TO THESE KINDS OF FEAR, BUT INSTEAD TO A STATE OF FEAR. ALL MY LIFE I'VE NEVER WORRIED ABOUT THE FUTURE VERY MUCH. I'VE KIND OF LEFT THAT JOB TO MY WIFE, WHO IS MUCH BETTER AT WORRYING. WE LIVED OUR LIVES, BOUGHT A HOUSE, PUT THE KIDS THROUGH COLLEGE, PAID OFF THE MORTGAGE, WENT ON A FEW VACATIONS, AND MY WIFE AND I ARE FORTUNATE IN THAT WE STILL HAVE OUR GOOD HEALTH AND ARE BOTH DOING THINGS WE LIKE TO DO. BUT ALL OF A SUDDEN, THE AGE OF 65 LOOMED. ALL OF A SUDDEN I BEGAN GETTING NOTICES FROM THE SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION, TELLING ME WHAT KIND OF CHOICES I HAD. AND NOW I FIND MYSELF AFRAID – AFRAID THAT IF I LIVE TO BE 95 I MAY HAVE TO GO ON WELFARE, AFRAID THAT SINCE MUCH OF WHAT I HAVE SAVED UP IS IN FUNDS THAT DEPEND ON THE STOCK MARKET --I COULD LOSE MY SHIRT IF THE MARKET TANKS. BUT THERE IS HOPE FOR ME; JESUS TELLS ME THAT WHERE MY TREASURE IS, THERE IS MY HEART. THE SOLUTION TO MY FEAR IS TO RELOCATE MY TREASURE TO A TRULY SECURE PLACE, HEAVEN.
THE SECOND COMMAND IS TO SELL WHAT I HAVE AND GIVE ALMS. WELL, I GIVE ALMS, BUT IT DOESN'T SEEM TO HELP MY FEAR. IN FACT AS I CALCULATE HOW I AM GOING TO FINANCE THE REST OF MY LIFE, I LOOK AT THE VARIOUS CHARITIES WE SUPPORT AND THINK ABOUT HOW I AM GOING TO HAVE TO CUT BACK HERE AND ELIMINATE THERE. JESUS DOES NOT EXPECT ME OR YOU TO LIVE LIKE A MONK. THAT IS A GOOD WAY FOR MONKS TO LIVE, IT WOULD BE A SINFUL WAY FOR YOU OR I TO LIVE. BUT IF I WANT TO RELOCATE MY TREASURE SO THAT I CAN RELOCATE MY HEART, I'VE GOT TO SOMEHOW DETACH MYSELF FROM WHAT I HAVE TO THE POINT WHERE MY STUFF NO LONGER POSSESSES ME, TO THE POINT WHERE I COULD LITERALLY TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT. MY WIFE IS MUCH BETTER AT THAT THAN I AM. WE RECENTLY DUMPED THE ACCUMULATIONS OF 41 YEARS OF MARRIAGE – AND WE STILL HAVE A FEW TRUCKLOADS LEFT. OVER AND OVER IN THE GOSPELS JESUS MAKES THE POINT THAT IT IS NOT THE STUFF WE HAVE THAT WILL GAIN US TREASURE IN HEAVEN, IT IS THE STUFF WE GET RID OF SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO THINK ABOUT IT, SO THAT IT DOESN'T DEMAND OUR ATTENTION.
THE THIRD COMMAND IS TO BE PREPARED, TO BE READY. THIS ALSO IS A COMMAND JESUS GIVES MANY TIMES IN SCRIPTURE – BUT BE READY FOR WHAT? WELL, NOT THE END OF THE WORLD. ALL THROUGH THE HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY THERE HAVE BEEN PEOPLE WHO TOOK THAT MEANING, AND THEY FOUND THEMSELVES LOOKING FOOLISH AFTER THE PREDICTED MOMENT CAME AND WENT. WELL, NOT FOR MY OWN DEATH, EITHER. OF COURSE WE NEED TO BE PREPARED FOR DEATH SPIRITUALLY. BUT DOES THAT REQUIRE CONSTANT VIGILANCE? SHOULD WE STAY AWAKE ALL NIGHT AND MEMORIZE THE BIBLE? EVEN JESUS TOOK A BREAK NOW AND THEN, ENJOYED TIME WITH HIS FRIENDS, TOOK AT LEAST ONE NAP IN THE BACK OF A BOAT. SO THAT'S NOT WHAT HE MEANS. I THINK WHEN WE READ THE ILLUSTRATIONS AND EXAMPLES JESUS USES, HE IS TALKING ABOUT BEING ALERT AT ALL TIMES TO THOSE MOMENTS THAT CONSTANTLY SNEAK UP ON US WHERE WE PERSONALLY CAN CONTRIBUTE TO THE KINGDOM OF GOD. BECAUSE IF THAT BECOMES OUR FOCUS RATHER THAN HOW I AM GOING TO FINANCE MY FUTURE, OR WHETHER I WILL RECOVER FROM THIS SERIOUS ILLNESS OR MANAGE TO GRADUATE FROM SCHOOL, OR BE ABLE TO HANG ON TO MY JOB OR MEET MY MORTGAGE PAYMENT, THEN I AM IN A POSITION TO STORE UP TREASURE WHERE IT IS SAFE. JUST THINK, IF I LOOK FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO IMITATE JESUS – OPPORTUNITIES TO OFFER A COMPLEMENT, OPPORTUNITIES TO LIFT SOMEONE'S SAGGING SPIRITS, MOMENTS TO REMIND MY CHILDREN THAT I LOVE THEM, -- JUST SIMPLE EVERYDAY THINGS, I AM ACCUMULATING TREASURE THAT CAN NEVER BE TAKEN AWAY. BUT SO OFTEN WE LET THEM GO BY BECAUSE WE ARE AFRAID, BECAUSE OUR MINDS ARE SO OCCUPIED BY THE FUTURE OR THE PAST THAT THE PRESENT SLIPS BY; OR THEY ARE SO CENTERED ON OURSELF THAT WE DON'T NOTICE VERY MUCH ABOUT OUR NEIGHBOR. WHERE MY TREASURE IS, THERE ALSO IS MY HEART.
SO JESUS SAYS, BE NOT AFRAID; FIND OUT WHERE YOUR TREASURE IS, AND IF IT IS NOT IN HEAVEN, IT ISN'T WORTH MUCH, IT ISN'T SECURE AT ALL, IT ISN'T A PLACE TO PUT YOUR HEART, SO TEAR YOURSELF AWAY FROM IT. AND THEN START STORING UP TREASURE BY BEING VIGILANT FOR ALL THOSE OPPORTUNITIES TO BUILD UP THE KINGDOM OF GOD -- THE OPPORTUNITIES IN OUR DAY TO DAY LIFE. AND AS WE BEGAN TO LIVE THIS WAY, WE NO LONGER FEAR, AND WE REALIZE THAT AS WE BUILD UP THE KINGDOM OF GOD, IT IS ALREADY OURS, AS JESUS ASSURES US IN TODAY'S GOSPEL.