Dear friends in Christ

Life on earth is brief. We all experience joys and sorrows in the course of life. In the best of cases we might amass great material goods which we know will only be left behind for others. The Readings at Mass today remind us, in the words of the First Reading, that all is vanity. Nevertheless, the human heart has a great capacity to seek the things of this world without paying attention to the transient nature of life. The human heart tends to attachments which are passing. In the Gospel this Sunday, Jesus tells us to beware of this attitude. On a certain day the Lord will come to settle the accounts with us, to determine how well or how ill we have administered His gifts. These gifts include our intelligence, health, material goods, the capacity for friendship and love, the power to bring joy to those around us, and so on. Our life on earth is short and limited but meditating on our final end can motivate us to make our time and work holy. It can help us to take advantage of our situation in order to utilise well all that we have been given. We have only to hear the News these days to realise that thousands are dying each day in desperately tragic circumstances. These people were probably unaware that their time was up, that they would have no more time to improve. God has given us this awareness; let us be wise. Inasmuch as the good of this world are intended for the glory of God, we should use them with a sense of detachment; this means knowing how to be happy in times of prosperity as in times of adversity. Whether we are rich or poor, we use what we have with gratitude knowing that everything has been given to us to be used wisely. By reflecting on life, death, and the things of the earth in this way, we will make good use of our time here. This also gives better meaning to life here and now, which is the means whereby we prepare for Heaven. With every blessing!

Msgr Kevin Hale