18th Sunday (Year C): Luke 12:13-21 & Qoh 1:2, 2:21-23
We have in today's Gospel one of only two times in the parables of Jesus when he describes some action committed by a person that it deserves only one judgement - death. Like the other story (the rich man and Lazarus, also in the gospel of Luke, 16:19-31) the cause of this terrible judgement is not because the person has broken one of the ten commandments, but because of an incredible greed and a selfish disregard for the needs of the poor. This view is reinforced by the selection of the first reading - the interminably depressed writings of Qoheleth (also called Ecclesiastes, from the Greek translation) who at the end of a life filled with riches and pleasure, knows that all of these things are mere vapour ('hebel') - meaningless vanity. So where do we find our hope?
Recorded at St John Vianney, 8.30am (7'08")
We have in today's Gospel one of only two times in the parables of Jesus when he describes some action committed by a person that it deserves only one judgement - death. Like the other story (the rich man and Lazarus, also in the gospel of Luke, 16:19-31) the cause of this terrible judgement is not because the person has broken one of the ten commandments, but because of an incredible greed and a selfish disregard for the needs of the poor. This view is reinforced by the selection of the first reading - the interminably depressed writings of Qoheleth (also called Ecclesiastes, from the Greek translation) who at the end of a life filled with riches and pleasure, knows that all of these things are mere vapour ('hebel') - meaningless vanity. So where do we find our hope?
Recorded at St John Vianney, 8.30am (7'08")