Homily for October
11, 2020
Twenty-Eighth
Sunday in Ordinary Time
The Good Life
Points to the Eternal Life
A very
large friend of mine from college used to say, “Food is God’s love made edible!”
There were times when I wanted to respond, “Perhaps you should have less of God’s
love on your plate?” But I think he was on to something – the good things of
life are a foretaste of Heaven.
GK
Chesterton once said, “In Catholicism, the pint, the pipe, and the Cross all
fit together.” He recognized that we are not dour Puritans who refuse to enjoy
ourselves! After all, our readings today speak of Heaven in terms of a feast –
not as a boring lecture or reading a devotional book, but as a party. This
should give us pause!
And it
should help us to understand this world. Every “good and perfect gift” is given
by God so that it could remind us of Him. Whether it be the beauty of nature,
the love of family and friends, the joys of sports, consolations in prayer,
success in business or school, good food and wine, music and the arts – all of
the delights of this world are meant to be a foretaste of Heaven. Any time we enjoy them, we ought to think, “This
is wonderful – and Heaven is even better!” The “good life” points to the
eternal life.
Thus, we
must never see these good things as an end in themselves. Our hearts can easily
become attached to them, and we don’t want to give them up. I am reminded of
the story of a young girl who saved up her money to buy a fake pearl necklace.
It was only five dollars, but to this girl it was the most wonderful thing she
had ever owned. She wore them around the house every single day for months.
Finally,
her father said to her one night as he was tucking her into bed, “My daughter,
I want to ask a favor from you. Do you love me?”
“Of
course I love you,” she said.
“Will
you give me your pearl necklace?” the father asked.
The girl
didn’t know what to say. Of course she loved her father, but this was too much!
It was her prize possession! She refused.
The next
night, the father asked the same question. “Do you love me?” She nodded, her
eyes filling with tears because she knew what would come next. “Will you give
me your pearl necklace?” Still she couldn’t part with it.
For
several weeks this happened every night. The little girl wrestled within
herself. How could her daddy ask for such a thing! This was the one thing she
loved more than anything! How could he ask for it? Didn’t he know how much it
meant to her?
Finally,
one morning, love won out. Reluctantly she walked into her father’s room and
handed him the pearl necklace. The father was touched and gave her a big hug,
and then opened his dresser drawer and pulled out a necklace made of real
pearls on a real gold chain. “My daughter, because you were willing to show
your love for me by giving me your fake pearls, I will show my love for you by
giving you this necklace with real pearls and real gold.” Imagine the girl’s
delight when she received such a gift!
And this
is how we must use the good things of this world – enjoy them, but not be
attached to them, because something better
is coming when we are finally ready and able to give our lives back to the
Father.
Every
good thing should lead us to Christ, which means that we use it well. GK
Chesterton also said, “We should thank God for beer and burgundy by not
drinking too much of them.” St. Thomas Aquinas instructed people, “Drink
alcohol only to the point of hilarity!” St. John Bosco used to tell his boys,
“Have as much fun as you want – but don’t sin!” (if I had a motto for my life,
that might be it!). Enjoy life, but in moderation. Too much of any good thing
becomes a bad thing!
So, my
friends, rejoice in the blessings of this life! They are foretastes of the
great banquet feast of Heaven, where the joy will never end. But never become
attached to the good things here on earth – something greater awaits us!
No comments:
Post a Comment