Summer is a time of reunions with families, friends, and former classmates. In these gatherings, the conversations are not just about memories of years long past but also about the present and the future.
“So how many kids do you have? Are they all done with college? How’s your business? How’s your practice?
“When and where do you plan to retire? What are you planning to do when you retire?”
These are the usual topics of conversation at these events along with comments about health, investments, travels, and politics.
These conversations make us also think about the brevity of life. “How times fly so quickly,” so we all say, “they are just like a blink of an eye.” Then deep within us is the fear of imminent sickness, growing old and inevitable demise.
“Oh, let’s just enjoy life now,” we add, trying to console ourselves on the hard realities of life.
The Scripture Readings this Sunday wake us up from all our toils, worries, success and accomplishments to make us think profoundly of the essential matters of life.
The Book of Ecclesiastes confronts us with these honest words: “For what profit comes to a man from all the toil and anxiety of heart with which he has labored under the sun? All his days sorrow and grief are his occupation; even at night his mind is not at rest. This is also vanity.
Psalm 90 reminds us: “For a thousand years in your sight are as yesterday, now that it is past, or as a watch of the night. You make an end of them in their sleep; the next morning they are like the changing grass, which at dawn springs up anew, but by evening wilts and fades. Teach us to number our days aright that we may gain wisdom of heart.”
The Gospel speaks about the story of an affluent man who produced a huge harvest one year and built larger barns to store all his riches and then planned to spend his remaining life resting, eating, drinking and being merry. But God said to him, “You fool, this night your life will be demanded of you; and the things you have prepared, to whom will they belong? Thus will it be for all who store up treasure for themselves but are not rich in what matters to God.
In the shortness of life, and in all our preoccupations to claim material possession and successes, these readings touch the core of our beings deeply. In the end what matters most apparently are not earthly possession, honors, and prestige, but the marks of love and faith that we leave behind in the lives of people that we care about most deeply and in those that we meet along the way. What matters in life is that we love generously, care deeply and speak kindly.
All material possessions fade away, including our bodies. And what endures for the generations we leave behind are our legacies of sacrifice, perseverance, loyalty, commitment, and care for the human race.
And so, reunions with families, former classmates and friends are not a just opportune time to give thanks for blessings of love and friendships, but also profound moments to think about our personal lives.
Have we built egoistic barns instead of big hearts filled with love, compassion, patience, and kindness for people? How have we gone out of our grandiose self and reach out to make a difference in people’s lives for the better future of our world? Are we proud of what we have accomplished with our kids and yet recognize that it’s only through God’s providence and help that we were able to fulfill our responsibilities to them?
As we grow older and plan retirement, perhaps we can reflect back on how we can still gain wisdom of the heart according to the Word of God so that we can live in peace, joy, and simplicity.
It’s good to enjoy the pleasures of life, but it’s also wise and consoling to think about the wisdom of God.
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From a Filipino immigrant family, Reverend Rodel G. Balagtas was ordained to the priesthood from St. John’s Seminary in 1991. He served as Associate Pastor at St. Augustine, Culver City (1991-1993); St. Martha, Valinda (1993-1999); and St. Joseph the Worker, Canoga Park (1999-2001). In 2001, he served as Administrator Pro Tem of St. John Neumann in Santa Maria, CA, until his appointment as pastor of ImmAaculate Heart of Mary, Los Angeles, in 2002, which lasted 12 years. His term as Associate Director of Pastoral Field Education at St. John’s Seminary began in July 2014.
