The World of Grandpa Don

Am I in trouble?

Am I in trouble? In last Sunday's readings,
in the Gospel of Mark chapter 10, verses 17 - 27, we read the words of Jesus:

"How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!"

Am I in trouble? I am not a millionaire but I live quite well and certainly by the standards of the time when it was spoken, I would be considered a man of wealth. Like the rich man in the bible story, I would find it very difficult to "sell all I have and give it (the money) to the poor." I may be in deep trouble! Fortunately, Jesus continued his discourse by telling the disciples that , what is difficult or impossible for man, is possible for God.

Looking to my Naked Angel for some clue to the meaning of all this, I realize that though without clothes or other worldly possessions, the Angel is in fact, rich. But it is in the gifts of God that he is rich, ... gloriously rich. He is so rich that he has no need of the things of this world.

We are human and while we are in this world we do have need for the things of this world. Jesus knew this as evidenced by his feeding the multitude on the mountain. He even demonstrated that he knew we needed more than just the essentials. In His first miracle, He provided wine so the party could continue. Obviously, the celebration had been going on for some time and the guests must have had quite a bit of wine already. You don't invite guests unless you are prepared to feed them and have enough spirits to keep them happy. So, this must have been a great party, too good to end it when everyone was having such a good time.

The thing that dooms many rich people is the degree of attachment they have to these things. A man can become so attached to his possessions that he looses sight of anything else. His quest for money and the things it can provide become an obsession. What he has becomes his life and he guards it for fear of loosing any of it. Being obsessed, no matter how much he has, it is not enough. He looks to wealth and possessions for fulfillment.

I went to a funeral Mass this morning. I did not know Filippo but I knew Claudio, his son. I became acquainted with Claudio and Christi last year when they took the journey through RCIA together. He was Catholic but had not been confirmed and she was from another Christian faith and they were engaged. So, I went to Filippo's wake and to the Mass.

He came here a young immigrant, knowing no English, worked to support his wife and family and eventually opened a store. His daughter related that there was nothing he could not do from auto repair, to carpentry, to electrical work. But he did not do it just for himself. As his children grew and married, he was always there to do for them or show them how. He was even known to close his store to go to his children if they needed something. His help extended to non-family and complete strangers.

Fillipo had many gifts but they were not his possessions. They were only his to share with others. This is true Christian stewardship. We are all entrusted with gifts and we are to care for them, make them grow and share them as they are needed. The gift may be a talent in a particular field which enables us to serve others directly. It may be a talent which enables us to earn money so we can help others indirectly. Whatever is the gift, it is not ours to keep. It is only ours to use for the betterment of  those who need it the most.

The measure of a man's worth is not what he has, it is what he does with what he has. The measure is what he is willing to give up for others. Can he close his business so he can help someone in need? Or, does he grasp his possessions so tightly that they choke him.

My Naked Angel sits there in the garden in the cold rain today to remind me that I have it pretty good as I sit in my warm dry home. I love my home but if I needed to, I could give it up for a more simple dwelling. Indeed, I know that may happen some day and it will not kill me to do it. I have many creature comforts but I could survive quite well if they were gone. And so, I realize that I have many other gifts that are of greater value than these things. I have the love of my family and the love of God. These are things without which, I could not survive. And so, with the love and the help of God, I know I can make it. He will overcome all the obstacles in my way.