The Value and End of Earthly Thing

 Reflection on Today's Readings, Saturday of 31st Week in Ordinary Time, Year 1, November 6th, 2021
Texts: Rom. 16:3-9.16.22-27; Ps. 145:2-5.10-11; Luke 16:9-15
Jesus Christ tells us, today, the value and the end of earthly thing. The value of earthly things is eternal life and its end is the service of eternal life. He puts it thus:  “Make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous mammon, so that when it fails they may receive you into the eternal habitations." When we are rich, let us invest our money in human development. We may ask ourselves, today: for what do we use our money? Some people use their money to oppress others, some people use money to perpetrate evils, for some people money is right, for some people money is life, etc. We are to use money to do things that we win us eternal life; we are to use the earthly things to gain eternal life.
What Jesus advocates, in today's gospel reading, is that money must be made subservient to God; it should be used to fulfil the will of God. Money is a gift of God, if we are faithful in using it by making it subservient to God, we will be faithful in handling the gift of eternal life. Hence, Jesus says, “He who is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much; and he who is dishonest in a very little is dishonest also in much. If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will entrust to you the true riches? And if you have not been faithful in that which is another’s, who will give you that which is your own?" Earthly things are little compared to eternal life. We are dishonest when we use earthly things for purpose contrary to the will of God. Earthly riches are fake while  eternal life is true; earthly riches fade, fail and pass away but eternal life endures forever. Earthly things are not ours but eternal life is. Eternal life is ours because it is the destiny of everyone. If we are not faithful in handling earthly things, we will not be faithful in handling eternal life. Let us use what God has given us here and now to attain eternal life.
St. Paul, in today's first reading, acknowledges his fellow workers and friends. Just like St. Paul, we also need fellow workers and friends; we cannot attain success alone. We need friends and well-wishers to help us attain success. St. Paul acknowledges, today, that some people helped him to attain success in his ministry. He even mentions persons who were always ready to lay down their lives for him. In his own words: "Greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, who risked their necks for my life, to whom not only I but also all the churches of the Gentiles give thanks". St. Paul also teaches us to acknowledge and appreciate those who work with us and contribute to our success.

Lord our God, help us to be faithful in what you have given us and let your  merciful love be upon us. Amen.

Fr. Andrew Olowomuke