From Safari…….
Recently, I decided to blow off my driveway. I connected the blower attachment to my vacuum/blower/ mulcher machine, plugged it in and nothing. My machine is persnickety, checked connections, tried again and still nothing.
Went to another outlet box, again nothing. Tried plugging in a fan, no power. I began the search of electrical panels. As I searched, I found some lights were out. After checking a fourth electrical box with no answers, I texted Tom (business manager) and Gary (head custodian). Tom texted back there is a larger issue taking place and he called Xcel Energy. Upon arriving at 10:00 pm, Xcel determined our phase 3 electrical line was out. Before they could precede, they needed all lines and utilities marked. It was strange to experience as some areas had working outlets but no overhead lights, and vice a versa. The rectory air conditioner fan ran but no cooling happened. Early the next morning, a crew from Xcel began the searching for the break. The break was under the driveway. Not wanting to dig up the driveway and since the line was 40 years old, a new line was installed. More diagnostic work was done and finally the horizontal directional boring machine installed the new line with minimal disturbance to the yard. After twenty hours, full power returned to the campus. This experience has me wondering, is the same true for our spiritual lives, that we might not be fully connected to God? Are we living a fulfilled life?
Roger Korban writes, “Once again, we have a Gospel passage in which Jesus demonstrates his concern that we live the most fulfilled life we can right here and now. In this situation, his teaching on wealth has nothing to do with our getting into heaven or being sent to hell. This Galilean carpenter is completely down to earth. He wants us to relate correctly not only to the earth we inhabit, but to the situations and people that earth offers us. A large part of those relationships concern wealth: the material things we acquire while we’re on this earth.
In Jesus’ opinion, anyone who focuses just on acquiring wealth during his or her lifetime is focused on something that is going to bring neither happiness nor fulfillment in that lifetime. The historical and risen Jesus of Nazareth is convinced the only way to achieve such happiness and fulfillment is to train ourselves to concentrate on those we encounter in our daily lives, always trying to care for the needs that surface in those encounters. Such a caring frame of mind normally isn’t the first thing that pops up in our human nature. We’re often worried about what we can gain from such relationships, not what we can give. We might believe Jesus’ teachings are from God; we might learn everything we can about them and pass an exam on the subject, but how can we actually acquire a frame of mind that regards wealth as he does?
When it comes to our faith transformation, we have a choice to imitate Jesus or, to just worship him. Worshiping him will probably get us into heaven one day. But imitating him here and now will help us realize the dreams Jesus has for us. Only those who imitate Jesus are actually doing what he wanted his followers to do. The challenge is to carry through on that imitation even when we
don’t feel like doing it.”
It is through the Eucharist, that we find the grace to imitate Jesus. To live a fulfilled life requires us to lean on Jesus, rather than any material or worldly base of security. “Life,” as Jesus said, “does not consist of possessions” — unless, of course, that possession is Jesus.
Have a peace filled week!
Fr. Ron
P.S. On a personal note, I will be on vacation August 1st through August 15th.
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