Then he said to the crowd, “Take care to guard against all greed, for though one may be rich, one’s life does not consist of possessions.” – Luke 12:15

       Peter was not born rich, but his friends were. Since his teenage years, he had hung out with the rich and popular, no matter if a number of them were a bad influence on him. He envied their status so he dropped out of school to start working so that he could make money. And he did.

        A brand new TV here, pairs of expensive shoes there, a job in the music scene that made him popular, rich girlfriends left and right, and prohibited drugs. When his glory days ended in his 30s, he could no longer maintain his lifestyle because he couldn’t get a regular job as an undergrad. His quest for material wealth and popularity also resulted in broken relationships — especially with members of his family whose words of advice he did not heed. A few years later, he slipped into depression and ended his life.

       Jesus reminds us today that “life does not consist of possessions.” May our hearts seek not the passing things of this world but those that truly matter — like loving relationships with family and friends, with ourselves, and with God our Maker. Nova A. Sevilla (nova.svp@gmail.com)

Reflection: Think about this: “You have succeeded in life when all you really want is only what you really need.” (Vernon Howard)

Lord Jesus, cleanse my heart of all envy, jealousy and greed. Teach me to be content with the things You have blessed me with.

St. Ignatius of Antioch, bishop and martyr, pray for us.

We cannot overcome sin without Christ. He freely bestowed the riches of His mercy and grace on us and saved us. The question is: are we grateful for this gift? What are we doing to show God our gratitude for the gift of salvation?

1 Brothers and sisters: You were dead in your transgressions and sins 2 in which you once lived following the age of this world, following the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the disobedient. 3 All of us once lived among them in the desires of our flesh, following the wishes of the flesh and the impulses, and we were by nature children of wrath, like the rest. 4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of the great love he had for us, 5 even when we were dead in our transgressions, brought us to life with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 raised us up with him, and seated us with him in the heavens in Christ Jesus, 7 that in the ages to come he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not from you; it is the gift of God; 9 it is not from works, so no one may boast. 10 For we are his handiwork, created in Christ Jesus for the good works that God has prepared in advance, that we should live in them.

Psalm 100:1-2, 3, 4, 4-5

R: The Lord made us; we belong to him.

1 Sing joyfully to the Lord, all you lands; 2 serve the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful song. (R) 3 Know that the Lord is God; he made us, his we are; his people, the flock he tends. (R) 4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving, his courts with praise. (R)  Give thanks to him; bless his name, 5 for he is good: the Lord, whose kindness endures forever, and his faithfulness, to all generations. (R)

Too often the death of a family member leads to a court case over inheritance. This is one of the greatest follies of humanity — the only winner in a court case is the lawyer who will always get paid for his service. St. Ignatius of Antioch, whose feast day we celebrate today, tells us the true inheritance we should seek — eternal life. Ignatius desired desperately to become a martyr for Christ and he eventually achieved this goal. If you get the chance, read some of his writings and see His love and desire for God, not for earthly inheritances.

Blessed are the poor in spirit; for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.

13 Someone in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, tell my brother to share the inheritance with me.” 14 He replied to him, “Friend, who appointed me as your judge and arbitrator?” 15 Then he said to the crowd, “Take care to guard against all greed, for though one may be rich, one’s life does not consist of possessions.” 16 Then he told them a parable. “There was a rich man whose land produced a bountiful harvest. 17 He asked himself, ‘What shall I do, for I do not have space to store my harvest?’ 18 And he said, ‘This is what I shall do: I shall tear down my barns and build larger ones. There I shall store all my grain and other goods: 19 and I shall say to myself, “Now as for you, you have so many good things stored up for many years, rest, eat, drink, be merry!” ’ 20 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?’ 21 Thus will it be for the one who stores up treasure for himself but is not rich in what matters to God.”

think:What are we doing to show God our gratitude for the gift of salvation?

Thank You Lord for: __________________

GRACE ABOUNDS

It is not by faith in God that we receive grace. Rather, it is by the grace of God that we receive faith. I was born to a Catholic family, baptized and sent to a Catholic school. I learned how to pray the rosary, recite prayers and read the Bible. I could never imagine a life without God.

       My younger brother and I were sent to a Chinese boarding school. Life there was totally different from what I was used to. We woke up at the sound of a buzzer and end the day in the same fashion. Given a tight schedule and the school being non-sectarian, I barely prayed and attended Mass. By a mere change in routine and environment, I gradually lost my relationship with God.

       Even without a spiritual life, day-to-day living turned out just fine. There were problems, of course, but I was able to get by. Pressure from school, family and friends was one of the practical things I needed to face. But sometimes, there were problems that were beyond my capacity to endure.

       Over time, I became preoccupied with a lot of concerns. My wants became needs and I felt the urgency to expand my experiences, leaving less time for discernment. I barely knew the difference between treasure and trash. I struggled to hold on to everything. And so I lost my bearings. In moments like these, I remembered something I used to do. On bended knees, I prayed and asked for God’s help. And help came.

      Despite my lack of faith, God’s grace abounds, for His grace excludes no one. In the midst of chaos and despair, I was able to fix my problems —with Him as my anchor and my compass. My faith in God deepened and I found my true source of happiness: to be with Him as His servant, His priest.

       Let us then seek for the intercession of St. Ignatius of Antioch, who, by the grace of God, found faith in Christ Jesus. Fr. Sonny Cotiamco

REFLECTION QUESTIONS: Did you ever experience not having God in your life? How did it feel? How was life without Him? And how did you go back to Him?

Dearest God, You are the source of my happiness and fulfillment in life. Help me to never let go of Your hand, especially during the times that I feel lost. Amen.