Scripture:
Ephesians 2:1-10
Luke 12:13-21
Reflection:
“But God said to him,
‘You fool, this night your life will be demanded of you;
and the things you have prepared, to whom will they belong?’
Thus will it be for the one who stores up treasure for himself
but is not rich in what matters to God.” Luke 12:13
Today’s Gospel is very dear to me. You see my husband who passed away 4 years ago, used this as a guide for his entire life. Don’t get me wrong, he had plenty of ‘treasure’ or junk as I would often call it, but he tried to have a focus of Christ in his life that was extraordinaire.
Once a year we would talk through our ‘things,’ and see if they were used for God. If they were, we kept them. His caution cone orange helicopter, that he purchased in order to take, “angel flights’ those who needed flights to the hospital for free from far away was one example of what some people would consider an extravagance, he used for God. He didn’t always live this way, but as he grew older and was ordained a deacon in the church, his love for the Lord became more important than his love for things.
It is a challenge in this day and age to use the things we have for God. Mike’s truck had a bible verse on the back. We shared our home with missionaries. We wear crosses on our necks.
It’s not about oh, look at me I am holier than thou, it’s about, “yeah, God can use, even little ole me, to be his hands and feet”. As I look back at Mike’s life, I am so very thankful for this bible verse and all the ways that he embraced it.
Mike died in that caution cone orange helicopter. “That night, his life was demanded of him”
He was rich in what mattered to God, and that my friends is a gift, for those that are left behind.
That is the challenge this day, to evaluate what is it that you have and what needs to be given away? What are you using for Gods work and what are you holding onto for your own sake?
Let go, take my word for it. You do not know when your life will be ‘demanded of you’ and the things that you own, will not matter in the least. Blessings on your week
Kate Mims is the Retreat Center Director at Holy Name Passionist Retreat Center in Houston, Texas.