Father Christopher Zugger

Listen to the farmer’s words: my crops …  my barns …  my grain …   my goods …  my soul. If a Jewish farmer had an abundant harvest, he was supposed to give part of it to those in need: the poor, the widows, the orphans. He was supposed to be paying his workers a just wage, and providing for them and all those around him. There is no mention in the man’s thoughts of his workers, of his family, of his relatives or friends, or of his community. This fellow in the story is completely focused on himself, and gives himself all the credit – notice that at the beginning of the parable, Jesus says that the land brings forth plentifully, not the work of the owner or his employees. There is no gratitude expressed by the landowner whatsoever for what nature has produced, or what God has given to him. He uses the word “I” six times and the word “my” five times.

He is totally focused on himself, to the point of claiming ownership of his own soul. He asks no advice from his workers, from his rabbi, and certainly not from God, but does a complete dialogue with only himself. And sadly, I think that this parable is very appropriate for our times. We are taught to be focused on what we want, what we desire. Look at the messages given to our children by social media, by advertising on television or billboards. We are taught that self-fulfillment is what matters, personal joy is the ultimate good, acquisition of money and more and more stuff is our destiny and what will bring us happiness.

We begin the first full week of Saint Philip’s Fast, the 40 days of preparation for Christmas today. This is already the fifth day of the preparation, so we have only 35 to go. This week it so happens that we have the Church holy day of the Presentation of Our Lady in the Temple, and the American holy day of Thanksgiving, followed immediately by the second American holy day known as Black Friday when most people go shopping in the stores or online. In the midst of all the shopping, baking, mailing of cards, office parties, and upcoming vacations, it is very easy to forget what and who we are preparing for. God humbled Himself to become a tiny little zygote in the womb of the Virgin Mary on March 25^th. Now in late November Mary would be in the last month of her pregnancy. She and Saint Joseph will soon embark on the long and difficult journey to Bethlehem, which will end with her giving birth in the cave amongst the animals.

It is worth pondering for ourselves the mystery of the Child Jesus living inside of Mary. This  is the God Whom we worship, this is the Lord Who we will receive in Holy Communion, this is the One Who became flesh in Mary and of Mary so as to lead us into the heavenly kingdom. God became poor, the source of life took on human life in all its messiness, in order to lead souls to heaven. The man in the parable is focused on wealth, on power, on living comfortably for years to come, and only for his own benefit. We are here in church today because presumably we are people who think of God, who think of others, who think of the destiny of our own souls. We will stop on Thursday to give thanks to God for all that He has done for us, and for His great mercy. We will stop on Christmas Day to praise the Infant Jesus for coming into the world to save us.

The parable was given in response to a man who asked Jesus to order the man’s brother to give him his share of their inheritance from their deceased parents. While it was a matter of justice, Jesus uses the moment to give a warning. Because in the end, the rich fool’s wealth was going to become someone’s inheritance, and the brother’s ill-gotten gains from the parents’ estate would also become an inheritance. Today that parable is a warning that everything here is temporary, everything. Whatever I own, whatever I am used to seeing around me, everything including the sun and the stars and all the planets of the universe, everything is temporary. Even purgatory is temporary. Two things are permanent – heaven and hell. We are at this Liturgy today because we are planning, hoping, desiring, to end up in heaven, and not hell. God became incarnate so as to reopen the gates of heaven to the human race, so that we will live with the Holy Trinity and the angels and be filled with the glory of the Beatific Vision. That is only going to take place though if I am living my life here and now well, and in a spirit of charity, love, and wisdom.

In the parable, God condemns the man as a fool. What a judgement to receive at death! To be called a fool by the Eternal Judge, the one who knows the innermost workings of our hearts, would be the ultimate sorrow. I want to be welcomed into the kingdom of God at my death, not told that I’ve been a fool. This fallen world puts emphasis on money and power and self-promotion. When dictators like Putin and Xi Jingping die, will God be praising them for their palaces, or condemning them for causing the deaths of tens of thousands of innocent people, ruining nations, and repressing the hopes of people around the world? We can easily condemn those and other political leaders, but what God will say to me is a question that every human being has to ask, has to wonder about. I most certainly do not want to be known to the Lord as a fool!

So, what are we rich in, as individuals? What are we focused on? What do we acquire more of? Television time? YouTube or TikTok videos? Instagram scrolling? Stuff? Or prayers, reading, spiritual knowledge, charitable actions, love for others? Which way are we going? Jesus in His humanity relied on the Father’s mercy and love, and told the apostles and first disciples to do exactly the same thing when he sent them out two by two to preach the good news.

In the epistle today, (Ephesians 4:1-6) Saint Paul wrote from prison to the Ephesians, and to us: I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Let us ask the Lord our God today for the grace not to be fools in His eyes, but rather to be fools in the eyes of the world, and to be focused on those virtues that Paul emphasized: humility, gentleness, patience, and loving all of those around us. If we do that, we will be truly wealthy, and not condemned fools. Christ is among us.