Daily Readings - Sun Aug 04 2019
Ecclesiastes
2"Meaningless! Meaningless!" says the Teacher. "Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless."
21For a man may do his work with wisdom, knowledge and skill, and then he must leave all he owns to someone who has not worked for it. This too is meaningless and a great misfortune.22What does a man get for all the toil and anxious striving with which he labors under the sun?23All his days his work is pain and grief; even at night his mind does not rest. This too is meaningless.
Colossians
1Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.2Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.3For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.4When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.5Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.9Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices10and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.11Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.
Luke
13Someone in the crowd said to him, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me."14Jesus replied, "Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?"15Then he said to them, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions."16And he told them this parable: "The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop.17He thought to himself, 'What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.'18"Then he said, 'This is what I'll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods.19And I'll say to myself, "You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry."'20"But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?'21"This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God."
Sermon
In today's readings, we are reminded to reflect on our values and priorities. Ecclesiastes highlights the fleeting nature of earthly endeavors, suggesting that without God, life's efforts are in vain. The author questions the meaning of accumulating wealth and knowledge if they are not used for a higher purpose, emphasizing the emptiness of a life focused solely on earthly gains.
The second reading from Colossians shifts our focus to the heavenly realm. It encourages us to seek what is above, where Christ is, and to live as new creations in Him. This passage calls us to move beyond earthly desires and embrace a life united in Christ, where all divisions fade, and we find our true identity.
In the Gospel, Luke's parable of the rich fool warns against greed and materialism. The rich man's focus on accumulating wealth leads to loss, as his soul is required of him. Jesus teaches that true wealth lies in our relationship with God, urging us to store up treasures in heaven rather than on earth.
These readings collectively invite us to reevaluate our priorities. They encourage us to focus on the eternal over the temporal, to live mindfully of God's presence, and to use our resources wisely. Let us remember that true wealth is found in a life dedicated to God, where we cultivate love, compassion, and humility. In doing so, we find lasting fulfillment and purpose.