Preaching about the parable of the foolish rich man, Fr. Matthew Howell asks whether we should be living for the Friday night “weekend party life” that our culture puts before us, or instead orienting our entire week towards the Sunday morning divine liturgy? He claims that when we are properly oriented toward Christ and the Kingdom of Heaven, then our relationships with everything else–including people, money and material possessions–have a proper context. He touches on stewardship vs ownership, as well as fasting and almsgiving. Along the way, he quotes St. Nikolai of Zica, St. John Chrysostom, and also clumsily quotes the song “I Don’t Wanna Wait” by One Republic.
Here is a quote that he read from St. John Chrysostom during the homily:
“Have you eaten your fill? Remember the hungry. Have you quenched your thirst? Remember the thirsty. Are you warm enough? Remember the frozen. Do you live in a richly-furnished house? Bring the homeless into it. Have you made merry at a party? Bring merriment to the sad and sorrowful. Have you been honoured as a rich man? Visit and relieve those in need. Have you come out joyful from your master? Make sure all your servants are joyful. If you are merciful and indulgent towards them, you will yourself be shown mercy when your soul leaves your body.” (found in St. Nikolai Velimirovic, Homilies, Vol. 2, page 272).
Galatians 2:16-20
Brethren, knowing that a man is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ, and not by works of the law, because by works of the law shall no one be justified. But if, in our endeavor to be justified in Christ, we ourselves were found to be sinners, is Christ then an agent of sin? Certainly not! But if I build up again those things which I tore down, then I prove myself a transgressor. For I through the law died to the law, that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me; and the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Luke 12:16-21
The Lord said this parable: “The land of a rich man brought forth plentifully; and he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ And he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns, and build larger ones; and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, ‘Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; take your ease, eat, drink, be merry.’ But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you; and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.” As he said these things, he cried out: “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.