“Jesus came down from the mountain and stood in the plain”. This is the starting sentence of today’s gospel passage. This shows the great attitude of our God towards humanity. Till the incarnation of Jesus, the humanity knew and worshipped “a” God from far away, from downwards only. They were unable to look at him. Now Jesus is correcting `this God figure of the old times´. He took the human form. Now he is coming down with his followers. It is a symbol of his continuous presence, through-out our life. He is there in our happiness; he is with us in our sorrowful days too.
But the rest of today’s Gospel passage may irritate some of us, especially its second half. In the first half of the sermon on the mountains we hear the praising words. But the second half is a curse. This may arise many questions among the simple believers. Does Jesus really hate the rich? Can’t they come in to the heaven?
I may say, it is only a half truth. Jesus cannot deny and classify a certain group of people eligible for the heaven and some others cursed, only because they are poor and others rich. He has got some other measurement.
Then what does it mean? For that we must seek the answer for a particular question. When does become `Richness´ a Sin? Finding an answer to this may help us to understand Jesus’ position.
We can divide richness in to two. To the first group belong people with money and property earned by their valuable work and dedication. They earn and spend it for their happy family. They may give people chances to live, by providing business or works. They may do humanitarian works with their earning. This group comes not under the curse as they live according to justice.
There is a second group. They too have money and property. They earn and earn. During this process, they forget the people and their surroundings. They may `buy´ justice and law for their well being. Their eyes and ears are closed towards the tears and cries of the poor and needy. They behave unjustly and inhuman. Thought of love and humanity don’t disturb their life.
Jesus might have seen the second group of people in Israel at that time. The first class people like Pharisees, scribes and Politicians were less interested in the well being of the common. They lived at the cost of these people and the burden was accumulated upon the poor again and again. Jesus raises his prophetic and humanitarian voice against them. He saw love towards the neighbour is neglected. Human weakness is misused in various ways. And the thoughts on it become a curse while Jesus loved them so much. In this context, the merry making and feasts of this rich group becomes a curse to them.
Not only these people, but many are powerless before money and property. It is not only in the politic, but the religion too is hit by this.
A Bishop called his priests together. He asked some of his senior priests, how they manage their Sunday collections. One said: “I give it fully to God, in the heavens.” “How?” asked the bishop eagerly. “I thorough the whole collection to the air and will say, take the amount you want. The amount that goes up belongs to him. I take only that comes down”.
The other one had another method. He said. “At first I take the whole money from the box and climb to the pulpit above. Then I will throw the money to the box. The amount that falls in to the box is for God,
the rest is for his poor priest!”
Bishop smiled and asked the next one. He was practical theologian. He said, “His Excellency, you know that we have always issues with thieves. So I have started an account in the name of God and put the whole amount in it. I just manage it as his partner. He can take at any time the amount he needs. But to the surprise, he seems to be not in need of money.”
Bishop had enough “ideas” about the “financial management” of his priests and cancelled the meeting…
It is a story. But regarding money and its business, many are weak.
And it is the question, how we manage our money. Are our deposits in the earthly banks or we use them for the heavenly fixed deposit?
We are nearing to our lent season. Before that there comes the Carnival. It aims at “to be cheerful and to do good”. It is not bad in its originality. We should be joyful in our life. Only a person who enjoys life can enjoy God’s joyful presence. Spirituality is not to be sad, but it guides us to rejoice.
Jesus came to proclaim “good news”. Good news is something that makes us joyful. In this way the celebrations are not bad in itself.
In all these merry making, let us not lose ourselves. Let us not act forgetful. All our happiness and merriness should return to Jesus and his love of God and love of Mankind.
I wish all of us a joyful heart and pleasant week. Amen.
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Fr Thomas Kalathil
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