Dear Parishioners,

The story of Jesus' encounter with the rich man and Jesus' teaching on wealth are issued as a challenge to us today. We live in a society which measures success in terms of economic growth and security, a society which rewards the rich with more riches. Nothing succeeds like excess. The danger is that our own values can center on power, profit and property. We can all become the devoted disciples of consumerism, powered by desires that will never be satisfied.

The Gospel asks us to pause and reflect about this matter, to look to ourselves critically in the light of Jesus' values. If our identity is locked into our possessions, who are we when our possessions are taken away from us? If we are afraid of having nothing, then, in reality, we are nothing. Like the rich man in the gospel, attachment to our possessions can soon lead to our being possesses by our attachments. When this happens, we are no longer free to accept the invitation of Jesus. Attachment to material goods can steal our freedom to choose.

Let me share with you this story which I read long time ago. In Asia people have devised a clever trap which they use to catch monkeys. They hollow out a coconut and put some kind of sweet in it. They make a little slit in the bottom of the coconut which is just big enough for the monkey to slip its open hand into. They attach the coconut to a tree or stake. The monkey comes along, smells the sweet, puts its hand in, grabs the food ... and that's it ... the monkey is trapped. When the hunters approach, the monkey becomes frantic and terrified but it can't get away. Who is keeping the monkey trapped? There is no force, other than its own clinging. Theoretically, all the monkey has to do is to open its hand, slip it out and be free. But it's pretty unusual that monkeys can do that. Does it ring a bell? Are we in the similar situation and try to prove Darwin's theory of evolution?

Jesus wants us to enjoy an inner independence, so that who we are is not dependent on what we have. Even though Jesus was sad to see the rich man go, nevertheless, He let him go. There is no point in forcing people to make sacrifices. If you take things from people, they are impoverished; but if you can get them to give, they are enriched. People are essentially good, but this goodness has to be awakened and called forth, if they are to enter the kingdom of love. May all of us experience this inner freedom by serving one another with our time, talent and treasure.

May God bless us all.

Father Lawrence