Sunday Says Podcast – August 4, 2013 Mass Readings and Reflection

Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time – Year C

August 5, 2013

This week’s first reading includes a very unique passage. It’s from one of the most difficult books to understand. In fact, this is the only time we’ll hear from the book of Ecclesiastes on a Sunday in the 3 year rotation. Quoheleth is the pseudonym of the writer of this book, and it is also not a well known name of the Bible.

If this reading sounded like a lot of complaining, you’re right. Here we see the tough times of a man that has worked hard and tried to be faithful to God. Then his faith is shaken when He realizes that God can take it all away, then once we die it goes to someone else. Quoheleth really struggles with this reality, especially without the Hope presented by the Gospel yet.

Responsorial Psalm PS 90:3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 14, 17

If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

Second Reading COL 3:1-5, 9-11

In this week’s second reading, we return to the letter of the Colossians. We’ve been reading in this letter for a few weeks, and this is the last part we will hear. This letter was mainly written for correction to help fix many of the doctrinal errors that had been happening in local confusion about their beliefs. St. Paul has been talking to us about our relationship with Christ. Last week, He showed us how we die and rise with Christ through our Baptism, and here he reminds us of our freedom through salvation. The cross has the power to free us from all bondage.

Gospel LK 12:13-21

In this week’s Gospel, we see a common theme from St Luke – criticism on a priority on wealth.

It is interesting that the man comes up first to Jesus like a child asking Him to settle the argument and forcing his brother to share. Jesus uses this as an opportunity to remind us that greed is evil.

In the end nothing really belongs to us. We came into the world with nothing, and we will leave the world with nothing. This is the same thing that bothered the writer of Ecclesiastes, but we know that what looks like we are robbed on the outside, has nothing to do with the reality of our reward of heaven.

Once we realize that anything we have, whether it be our talents, money, jobs, or even family, is only in our lives because of God’s abundant generosity, then we can free from the bondage of greed to share it with those that are in need. Sometimes it’s money, but usually it takes more of us.

Simply put, Jesus is showing us how useless it is to focus so much on possessions and wealth. Tn the grand perspective of life, money and possessions aren’t evil in themselves, but our attachments to them over God can hurt us.

Question for further mediation: How can I be more detached from the things in my life? How can I use what I have to serve the Lord?