Monday, October 23, 2017

Oct 23 - 29th Week in OT - Monday

+ The gospel passage tells us in very direct terms that the concept of “storing up in reserve” is indeed a recommended and commendable project IF it is carried on with the proper motive and with the proper content.

“If a man stores up what will guarantee and assure his eternal life” that is, the spiritual reality of good works done for love of God, and all those tangential properties that goes with this kind of storing: then he is acting like a wise man and is eligible to be praised by God. But, if a man “builds bigger barns to hoard and stash away all kind of things, shiny objects and unnecessary self-aggrandizing properties, the stuff that “you can’t take with you” – then he is “shoveling smoke” – he is wasting his time – he will have nothing in reserve when he dies – which could be at any time, for any of us.

Therefore, as Abraham measured all his future enterprises on God’s promise to make him the Father of many nations in faith, so Abraham knew that the spiritual reality of “believing” in the God of Promises was more important than anything else: and then God gave him all he needed, and not necessarily wanted, for the rest of his life: and his descendants in the activity of believing as well: that is, you and me.

The only caveat is that one cannot manufacture faith, it is not just a matter of “saying ‘I believe’” – it is rather, a willing response to God who gives the gift of believing, faith, first! So, our “believing” is actually a thankful responding to the God who wants us to use free will in assenting to him and his many gifts: including salvation of our souls.

Today we pray then, fervently, to be as responsive as we can possibly be to God’s offer of faith, believing, that first came to us at our baptism, and which is renewed and fired up again at this and every mass, for that is why we gather here each day: to be fired up in God’s perfect love for us, and our perfectible love for him and for all others he puts in our day!

Teach me your paths, O God, make me walk in your truth, and store up in spiritual barns what will last forever: acts of loving service to others. Amen.

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