What do we value the most in our lives? There will be a variety of answers to that question ranging from wealth, possessions, security, health, freedom, relationships with family, and so forth. I, personally, think the answer to the question is the word, “control.” To have wealth and possessions, to have health, to have freedom gives us control to do that which we want to do, to fulfill our every whim. Control is what we want, and when we do not have control, we feel our lives suffer.
In the second reading, we hear of St. Paul’s imprisonment. This vital man, one who traveled extensively has completely lost control of his life. If we listen between the lines of Paul’s words, Jesus’ haunting words to Peter in the epilogue of John’s Gospel can be heard. “Amen, amen, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to dress yourself and go where you wanted; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” Knowing full well that he would never walk out of that prison cell as a free man, Paul, nonetheless shows no despondency. He sounds content. Why?
Paul knows that the real question in life is not that which we value the most. Rather, the real question in life is what is upon what foundation upon are our lives built? Jesus tells us in the Gospel that Paul has built his life on a foundation that will never collapse. Paul has built his life upon the foundation of the One who created him, namely, God.
In a nation where one’s success is judged primarily on how much money one earns, how much property one owns, how many possessions one owns, it would seem that Jesus’ words would be falling on deaf ears. It matters not what side of the political aisle to which one adheres. We, as a nation, hear relentlessly the propaganda of prosperity as the only means by which one is able to gauge success and by which we can control our lives. The commercials that assail us throughout the day on our radios, televisions, tablets and cell phones, the insane promises of political candidates, entertainments, everything hammers this message without mercy.
Even when it comes to education, perhaps one of the most valuable commodities that society can offer a citizen, we are told that the foundation of education is not to expand our knowledge and of the world, or to better our lives more fully. We are told to be educated so that we can earn more money than the next person, to advance ourselves to a higher economic level within our society, to gain control. The whole notion of a “college liberal arts education” is scoffed at and ridiculed by the wealth chasers of our society.
At the present, with wealth and the acquisition of wealth as the only goal in life, our nation’s foundation is built on nothing more solid than quicksand. How well do the words from the Book of Wisdom described the situation in which we are living. “For the deliberations of mortals are timid, and unsure are our plans. For the corruptible body burdens the soul and the earthen shelter weighs down the mind that has many concerns.”
So Jesus is asking us to examine very carefully upon what are we basing our lives. What is the foundation of our lives? This is a very pertinent question if we are to be a disciple of Jesus. If our lives are based only upon that which our world recommends, then we will be incapable of being a disciple of Jesus. All the propaganda of wealth, security, possessions will not advance us as disciples of Jesus. In fact, if our sole attention is spent pursuing those ends, then our progress to be disciples of Jesus will be impeded.
Throughout all four Gospels, we are told by Jesus that if we are to be his disciples we must travel lightly and be willing to hand the control of our lives over to God. He tells us to jettison all that will impede our travel. If we have luggage, how much junk of our world have we packed into that luggage? If we insist on carrying our luggage as we follow Jesus, we will lag behind Jesus and, eventually, be left behind. How are we to get into heaven if we all the stuff by which we keep control of our lives is weighing us down?
If wealth is weighing us down, get rid of it. If security is weighing us down, get rid of it. If our possessions are weighing us down, get rid of it. Even if our personal relationships are weighing us down, get rid of them. If God is truly the foundation upon whom our lives are built, then, all we need to carry to follow Jesus is our cross, and, like St. Paul leave the rest to God.
