BEWARE OF ALL COVETEOUSNESS

*“Take heed, and beware of all covetousness; for a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” (Luke 12:15)*

To be covetous is to live in a special world of I, me, and myself, where I care only for one person – me. To be covetous is to refuse to give others their due, as in the case of the man whose brother had to run to Jesus because he did not give him a share of his father’s inheritance. 

*- To be covetous is to be like the rich man in the parable Jesus gave us in today’s Gospel passage.*

 The man said: “What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops? … I will pull down my barns and build larger ones…” This man thought his life was secured by the goods he stored. He never knew his time to leave the world had come. No one knows when their time will be.

*- It is never a sin to be rich, but it is a sin to worship wealth – to live as if there is no God (ignore God’s commandments).*

 It is a sin to bow to the devil in exchange for earthly kingdoms (Mathew 4:8-10). Today, many youths are involved in money rituals (yahoo-plus). Some have exchanged the lives of their loved ones for money. Jesus would ask, “What does it profit a man, to gain the whole world and forfeit his life?” (Mark 8:36).   

*- What does it mean to be rich toward God?*

 It is to “seek first the kingdom of God and its righteousness” (Matthew 6:33). To be rich toward God is to remember that you belong to God. In today’s First Reading, St. Paul says: “We are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works.” (Ephesians 2:10). Today’s Responsorial Psalm adds: “Know that he, the Lord, is God. He made us; we belong to him. We are his people, the sheep of his flock.”

*- Jesus called this man a fool.*

 What would he have done if he were wise? 1) He would have thanked God for blessing him with such abundance. Instead of praying to God, the man prayed to his soul. “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for you…” He forgot that his prosperity was God’s gift and not merely the product of his hard work. 

*- 2) If he were wise, he would have realised he was blessed to bless others.*

 He would have factored others into his plan. “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal.” (Matthew 6:19-20).

*- Why did Jesus tell this parable to the man who had come to ask for Jesus’s intervention over an inheritance dispute?*

 To assure him that even though he had been cheated, he could still live a very long and happy life. Meanwhile, his greedy brother is like the rich man whose lands yielded abundantly but refused to consider others in his enjoyment plan. If God calls this greedy brother tonight, what becomes of the inheritance he has gathered?

*- Today begins a brand-new working week.*

 As you go out to labour for your daily bread, remember that no matter how much you gather, it will not stop you from dying when your time comes. “A man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” Money will give you access to the best hospitals and doctors, but your life is in God’s hands. Also, remember that even if you fail to meet your targets or things do not go as planned, thank God; your life is more valuable than earthly riches.

*Let us pray:* Almighty, ever-living God, deepen our love for you. We ask this through Our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God forever and ever. Amen

*Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. May God’s abundant blessings be upon us all. (Monday of week 29 in Ordinary Time. Bible Study: Ephesians 2:1-10, Psalm 100, Luke 12:13-21).*

Fr. Abu

THE EUCHARIST EXPLAINED:

Separating Truth from Misconception

Here are several important clarifications about what the Real Presence of the Lord in the Eucharist is not:

1. IT IS NOT MERELY SYMBOLIC:

▪︎Clarification: 

The Catholic Church teaches that the Eucharist is not just a symbolic representation of Christ's body and blood. 

The bread and wine truly become the Body and Blood of Christ through the process of transubstantiation, while the appearances of bread and wine remain. 

The Real Presence means that Jesus is fully and substantially present in the Eucharist, not just figuratively.

2. IT IS NOT CANNIBALISM:

▪︎Clarification: 

Some critics mistakenly interpret the Real Presence as a form of cannibalism. 

However, Catholics believe that Christ is present in a sacramental, non-bloody manner in the Eucharist. 

His body and blood are present under the appearances of bread and wine, without any physical or brutal act involved. 

This is a mystery of faith that goes beyond physical consumption and into a spiritual union with Christ.

3. IT IS NOT A RE-SACRIFICE OF CHRIST:

▪︎Clarification: 

The Eucharist is not a repeated sacrifice of Christ on the altar. 

Instead, it is a re-presentation of the one, eternal sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. 

Catholics believe that the sacrifice of Christ is made present in an unbloody manner during the Mass, allowing the faithful to participate in the offering of Christ’s sacrifice in a real and mystical way.

4. IT IS NOT DEPENDENT ON THE HOLINESS OF THE PRIEST:

▪︎Clarification: 

The Real Presence does not depend on the personal sanctity or worthiness of the priest. 

Even if the priest is in a state of sin, as long as the proper form, matter, and intention are present, the Eucharist becomes the true Body and Blood of Christ. 

The efficacy of the sacrament relies on Christ's power, not the personal merits of the celebrant.

5. IT IS NOT MERELY A COMMUNION MEAL:

▪︎Clarification: 

While the Eucharist is certainly a communion with Christ and the community, it is not just a symbolic meal shared among believers. 

The Eucharist is an encounter with the living Christ, who is truly present, offering Himself to His people as spiritual nourishment and grace.

6. IT IS NOT DEPENDENT ON HUMAN PERCEPTION:

▪︎Clarification: 

The Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist does not rely on our ability to perceive it with our senses. 

Even though the bread and wine look, taste, and feel the same, the transformation into the Body and Blood of Christ is a supernatural reality that occurs regardless of whether we can physically detect it. 

The Real Presence is a mystery of faith, not of sensory experience.

7. IT IS NOT A METAPHOR OR ALLEGORY:

▪︎Clarification: 

The Real Presence is not a metaphorical or allegorical way of speaking about Jesus' presence in the lives of believers. 

It is a literal and substantial presence of Christ in the Eucharist. 

While metaphors are often used in scripture, the doctrine of transubstantiation emphasizes that Jesus is truly, fully, and uniquely present in the Eucharist.

8. IT IS NOT A MERE MEMORY OF THE LAST SUPPER:

▪︎Clarification: 

The Eucharist is not just a memorial or recollection of the Last Supper where Jesus instituted the sacrament.

Although the Eucharist is a memorial of Christ's Passion, the Real Presence means that Christ is actively present and offering Himself to us here and now, making His saving act perpetually available to the faithful.

9. IT IS NOT LIMITED TO THE DURATION OF THE MASS:

▪︎Clarification: 

The Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist does not cease once the Mass is over. 

Once consecrated, the Eucharist remains the Body and Blood of Christ as long as the appearances of bread and wine remain. 

This is why Catholics reserve the Eucharist in tabernacles and why the faithful participate in Eucharistic adoration—Christ is still truly present outside of the Mass.

10. IT IS NOT A SHARED PRESENCE WITH ORDINARY BREAD AND WINE:

▪︎Clarification: 

The bread and wine used for consecration are not simply items blessed and shared in the same manner as ordinary food at a meal. 

Through transubstantiation, they no longer remain bread and wine in substance, even though their appearances do. 

The Real Presence is unique and exclusive to the consecrated elements, setting them apart from any other bread and wine.

These clarifications help underscore the deep significance of the Real Presence in the Eucharist, which is central to Catholic worship and spirituality.