The Nineteenth Sunday In Ordinary Time Year C.

Readings

Wisdom 18: 6-9
Hebrews 11: 1-2, 8-19
Luke 12: 32 -48

Theme: Let us stop and think: Where are our values in life?  Our values should be above our blood and our flesh

When Peter discovered the Values in CHRIST (Mathew 16: 16) as he answered Jesus’ question (Mathew 16: 15).  “But you who do you say that I am?”  Peter said in reply, “You are the Christ the Son of the Living God.”

This is Peter’s discovery of the value in Jesus, a value that is above Blood and Flesh: Listen to what Jesus tells Peter: “Blessed are you Simon son of Jonah, For flesh and Blood has not revealed this to you, but My Heavenly Father.”

Let us use this concept to bring out the gist of Today’s readings: “Sell your possessions and provide yourselves with purses that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys.”  This is a quotation from Today’s Sunday Gospel.  We must use what we have in our flesh and blood to achieve the superior values in Heaven.

What is in heaven is not accessed by simple flesh and blood,  but by a superior gift from heaven itself as Jesus emphasizes it to Simon Peter: “It is not flesh and blood that has helped to come to this knowledge, but My Heavenly Father.”

This is where we come back to the question in our theme:

“Where are our values in life?” Our values should not just be in flesh and blood (in possessions) but in flesh and blood that are upgraded by heavenly values or by CHRISTIAN VALUES.  Examples of Christian values are: charity or love beyond self, mercy, forgiveness or reconciliation, human dignity and respect of humanity, building relationships and bridges.

In essence, it entails developing capacity to listen to each other, deepen our mutual understanding appreciate our differences and complement our gifts.  All these and many more are values beyond flesh and blood.

The challenge we face is the journey that we have to make to the values in life that are beyond flesh and blood.  The First Reading speaks of the pain that is undergone by the Holy children of good men, that the Saints would share alike the same things, both blessings and dangers.  The deliverance of good people is as painful as the destruction on their enemies:

“For by the same means by why you punished our enemies you called us to yourself and glorified us.”  Christ liberates us through the struggle, shame and pain of the cross.

We have to be alert and awake in all the trials of life so that we do not get lost in flesh and blood and lose the heavenly values.  “You must be ready; for the Son of man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”  This is Jesus’ message in today’s Gospel.  TO BE READY IS TO HAVE VALUES IN LIFE.

The foundation for Readiness with values is articulated by the Second Reading of this Sunday.

“Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

Christian values are built on FAITH and they are not as visible as flesh and blood.

The letter to the Hebrews gives us the example of Abraham who waited in hope for the Promised Land and for a child.  Sarah received power to conceive, even when she was past the age.  “Therefore, from one man, and him AS GOOD AS DEAD, were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as the innumerable grains of sand by the sea shore.”

This is the journey of Faith which is often a challenge in our Flesh and blood.  Where are our values in Life?