Today, 14th of December, we celebrate
Saint John of the Cross
First Reading: Ecclesiastes 1:2; 2:21-23
Vanity of vanities, says Qoheleth,
vanity of vanities! All things are vanity!
Here is one who has labored with wisdom and knowledge and skill,
and yet to another who has not labored over it,
he must leave property.
This also is vanity and a great misfortune.
For what profit comes to man from all the toil and anxiety of heart
with which he has labored under the sun?
All his days sorrow and grief are their occupation;
even at night his mind is not at rest.
This also is vanity.
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 89:3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 14, 17.
R./ If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
You turn man back to dust,
saying, "Return, O children of men."
For a thousand years in your sight
are as yesterday, now that it is past,
or as a watch of the night.
R./ If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
You make an end of them in their sleep;
the next morning they are like the changing grass,
Which at dawn springs up anew,
but by evening wilts and fades.
R./ If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
Teach us to number our days aright,
that we may gain wisdom of heart.
Return, O Lord! How long?
Have pity on your servants!
R./ If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
Fill us at daybreak with your kindness,
that we may shout for joy and gladness all our days.
And may the gracious care of the Lord our God be ours;
prosper the work of our hands for us!
Prosper the work of our hands!
R./ If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
Second Reading: Colossians 3:1-5, 9-11
Brothers and sisters:
If you were raised with Christ, seek what is above,
where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.
Think of what is above, not of what is on earth.
For you have died,
and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
When Christ your life appears,
then you too will appear with him in glory.
Put to death, then, the parts of you that are earthly:
immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire,
and the greed that is idolatry.
Stop lying to one another,
since you have taken off the old self with its practices
and have put on the new self,
which is being renewed, for knowledge,
in the image of its creator.
Here there is not Greek and Jew,
circumcision and uncircumcision,
barbarian, Scythian, slave, free;
but Christ is all and in all.
Gospel Reading: Luke 12:13-21
Someone in the crowd said to Jesus,
"Teacher, tell my brother to share the inheritance with me."
He replied to him,
"Friend, who appointed me as your judge and arbitrator?"
Then he said to the crowd,
"Take care to guard against all greed,
for though one may be rich,
one's life does not consist of possessions."
Then he told them a parable.
"There was a rich man whose land produced a bountiful harvest.
He asked himself, 'What shall I do,
for I do not have space to store my harvest?'
And he said, 'This is what I shall do:
I shall tear down my barns and build larger ones.
There I shall store all my grain and other goods
and I shall say to myself, "Now as for you,
you have so many good things stored up for many years,
rest, eat, drink, be merry!"'
But God said to him,
'You fool, this night your life will be demanded of you;
and the things you have prepared, to whom will they belong?'
Thus will it be for all who store up treasure for themselves
but are not rich in what matters to God."
“Beware of all kinds of greed”
Dear brothers and sisters, peace and goodwill.
On this Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, the readings invite us to reflect on the emptiness of material wealth and the importance of seeking eternal goods above all things.
Qohelet’s reflection on life is very relevant today. What does a person gain from all the hard work and worry that tires him under the sun? We are all overwhelmed with things to do and worries in this fast-paced world. What Qohelet calls “vanity” in the first reading is simply the disappointment people feel when they realize the gap between their dreams and the reality of how things turn out — they cannot go beyond their limits.
Today we might call this absurdity, depression, or lack of meaning. Vanity means refusing to recognize our limits. No one can escape the absurdity of their own existence. The only way out is to live life as it is: with ups and downs, with its limits, and with its end.
Qohelet advises his readers to enjoy life in a healthy and balanced way. But he cannot answer the deeper questions about the meaning of life. Only the Gospel gives us that answer. It is Jesus who opens up new horizons, teaching us not to chase empty illusions.
We Christians can also fall into this trap. We live from day to day, without thinking deeply. We don’t always understand what it truly means to be Christian. Sometimes we care more about the news or celebrity gossip than about our own inner life. This temptation is nothing new.
We know that, through Baptism, we have become new people, made in the image of God. But this process isn’t finished yet. Much work is needed before the “new person” appears. The road is long. We must be cleansed of many things, become completely Christ’s, and not lose heart. That is what Saint Paul reminds us in the second reading: let go of anything that keeps us from being united with Christ, and allow ourselves to become more like Him, until Christ is everything in all. We are called to be new people, always growing and being renewed.
It is wise and virtuous not to attach our hearts to the things of this world, because everything passes away and can end suddenly. For Christians, the true treasure we must always seek is found in the “things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.” Saint Paul reminds us of this today in his letter to the Colossians, adding that our life “is hidden with Christ in God” (Col 3:1–3).
Among the disciples there were many who followed Jesus but didn’t really understand Him. They were caught up in everyday problems and saw the Teacher as someone who could solve their family disputes. Their goal was not to welcome the Good News, but to reach personal goals: to gain something for themselves or their loved ones, as if that were the true purpose of life.
The exaggerated desire to possess changes our hearts and souls. In today’s Gospel, the rich man thinks only of himself. In his plans, he does not remember his family or his neighbors. He is only concerned about his own comfort. Yet concern for others is a good way to measure how well we are following Jesus. The more attached we are to money or possessions, the harder it is to be true disciples. We must seriously reflect on our relationship with wealth and greed.
The Solemnity of the Transfiguration of the Lord, which we will celebrate on Wednesday, invites us to lift our eyes “to the heights,” toward heaven. In the Gospel account of the Transfiguration on the mountain, we are given a glimpse of the kingdom of the saints. At the end of our earthly life, we too may share in the glory of Christ — a glory that will be complete and eternal. At that time, the whole universe will be transformed, and God’s plan of salvation will be fulfilled.
The parable confronts us with death. Many people are prepared to give perfect reports — about what they know, what they own, and the power they hold. But what really matters is to give an account of our life — not of what we’ve collected. In other words: What have you done with your life? How have you used it? In what direction have you gone? Jesus, in the end, accuses the rich man of not being wise. He could not see beyond the coming “night.” He made bigger barns, but did not widen his vision. He let himself be trapped in an earthly mindset, which ended up destroying him.
Each of us must examine our lives: are we being foolish, or are we really focusing on what is most important? This is why Jesus’ words are so urgent today: “Life is not found in possessions.” Life has value in itself. What matters is not what we have, but who we are. We can ask ourselves: Does our work bring dignity, or does it make us slaves with a paycheck? Do we study to grow as people, or only to make money? Are we aware of the standards that society tries to impose on us? Are we storing up treasures on earth, or in heaven? At the end of life, we will be judged on love — and bank accounts and credit cards won’t matter.
“May the Virgin Mary obtain this grace for us. Today we especially remember her by celebrating the liturgical memorial of the Dedication of the Basilica of Saint Mary Major. As is well known, this is the first basilica in the West built in honor of Mary, and it was rebuilt in the year 432 by Pope Sixtus III to celebrate the divine motherhood of the Virgin — a dogma that had been solemnly proclaimed by the Ecumenical Council of Ephesus the year before. The Virgin, who shared in Christ’s mystery more than any other creature, may she sustain us on our journey of faith, so that — as the liturgy invites us to pray today — ‘as we work with our strength to subdue the earth, we may not be overcome by greed and selfishness, but always seek what is valuable in God’s eyes’” (cf. Opening Prayer).
— Benedict XVI, Angelus, Apostolic Palace of Castel Gandolfo, Sunday, August 5, 2007.
Your brother in the faith,
Alejandro Carbajo, cmfGreetings
There is only Christ:
he is everything
and he is in everything.
He has brought us back to true life.
May his grace and peace be with you.
R/ And also with you.
Introduction by the Celebrant
A. What Are We Living for?
What do we consider most important in life? The message of today confronts us with this question. And it is basic for our Christian living. Are there more important things for us than money, goods, and power? Do we find love of God and neighbor, friendship and affection, and concern for each other greater and lasting and worthy of living for? What is the answer we give Jesus today?
B. What Brings Us Happiness That Lasts?
We all need the things that are necessary for life, but our human experience keeps reminding us again and again of what Jesus told us in the Gospel long ago: accumulating riches does not bring happiness! The joy of living does not depend on full granaries or fat bank accounts. The quality of life and its joy depend rather on how much we love the Lord and one another and on how far we can share what we have. That is how we become rich in the sight of God. In this Eucharist we ask our Lord that he bring us joy and happiness along with his friendship.
Penitential Act
A. What Are We Living for?
With empty hands and hearts we stand before the Lord
and ask him to forgive and heal us.
(pause)
Lord Jesus, you were born in poverty.
When we look too much for a life of comfort,
Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.
Jesus Christ, you had no stone
on which to let your head rest.
When we put our security in the things we have,
Christ, have mercy. R/ Christ, have mercy.
Lord Jesus, your concern was
God's honor and the joy of people.
When we fail to share with those in need,
Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.
Have mercy on us, Lord,
and forgive us our greed
and our overconcern for material things
Make us generous in sharing
and lead us to everlasting life. R/ Amen.
B. What Brings Us Happiness That Lasts?
Too often we have put our happiness and life
in things that are very perishable.
Let us ask the Lord to forgive us.
(pause)
Lord Jesus, you are our life
and you want us to live for values that last:
Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.
Jesus Christ, you are rich in mercy
and you want us to be rich in forgiveness and love:
Christ, have mercy. R/ Christ, have mercy.
Lord Jesus, you brought us freedom
and you want us to be free from greed
and free for God and people:
Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.
Have mercy on us, Lord,
and free us from the slavery of sin.
Make us put our trust in you
and lead us to everlasting life. R/ Amen.
Opening Prayer
Let us pray
that we may use this earth's goods wisely
in the service of God and people
(pause)
Father, you care, and so in you we trust.
Our hearts are divided,
yet we have to provide care and security
to those we love.
Do not allow greed to blind us
so as to pile up goods we do not need
and things that do not really matter.
Make us generous sharers of what we have
with the hungry and the poor,
that we may become rich in your sight.
We ask this through Christ our Lord. R/ Amen.
Liturgy of the Word
First Reading Introduction: What Will Remain In The End?
The author of the first reading speaks from sad experience: possessions and human endeavors alone do not guarantee happiness. He does not give a solution, but poses the problem very poignantly.
Gospel Introduction: Our Riches Is God
Our riches are to be found in God; possessions give us no security, for only God can give lasting happiness.
General Intercessions
Let us pray now to God, the origin and final end of our riches, happiness, and joy, and let us say: R/ Lord, your kingdom come.
• For a poor and serving Church in which people try to have open hands and open hearts for all, let us pray: R/ Lord, your kingdom come.
• For more justice and equality in our world; for effective political, social, and economic reforms that allow people to enjoy the fruits of their work, material and spiritual goods, and the treasures of education and culture, let us pray: R/ Lord, your kingdom come.
• For poets, artists, and scientists, that they may help us to admire and enjoy the power and beauty of God's creation and to give praise to God, let us pray: R/ Lord, your kingdom come.
• For those who are rich and powerful, that they may learn to share; for the poor, the humble, the exploited, that they may find help and keep hoping, let us pray:R/ Lord, your kingdom come.
• For all of us, that we may learn to enjoy the things of life: friendship and affection, unity and compassion, people who inspire us, and even learn to love our enemies, let us pray: R/ Lord, your kingdom come.
Lord our God, keep us attentive to the brittleness of all things we attach ourselves to. Make us share our goods and talents and keep us trusting in you our riches and our hope, now and for ever. R/ Amen.
Prayer over the Gifts
Lord our God,
from your own gifts to us
we bring bread and wine before you.
Let them become the signs
in which Jesus gives himself to us.
May we learn from him
to use your gifts and our efforts
in the service of you and our neighbor,
that they may lead us to happiness
that lasts for ever and ever. R/ Amen.
Introduction to the Eucharistic Prayer
God has made us not the owners but the stewards of his creation. Let us thank him for his goodness and offer everything to him through Jesus.
Invitation to the Lord's Prayer
With Jesus our Lord
we pray to our Father in heaven
for the things we need on the way to him: R/ Our Father...
Deliver Us
Deliver us Lord, from every evil
and set us free from all attachments
that keep us from giving ourselves
to you and to people.
Help us to live in your hands,
as we prepare in joyful hope
for the coming in glory
of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. R/ For the kingdom...
Invitation to Communion
This is Jesus our Lord,
who became poor to make us rich
in grace and wisdom and love.
Happy are we to receive him
as the Father's free gift.
R/ Lord, I am not worthy...
Prayer after Communion
God, giver of all good gifts,
we have received your Son from you.
You want us to enjoy the good things of life
and at the same time
not to let them become our masters.
Give us enough faith, Lord,
to make us see that, however much we have,
we are still poor if you are not our riches
and that we are rich, even in poverty,
when we have you and your Son,
Jesus Christ our Lord. R/ Amen.
Blessing
It was good to reflect together
on the relative value of the things we have.
Yes, let us enjoy without scruple
the simple, God-given things of everyday life.
But let us always remain free,
as we are liberated by Jesus our Lord;
we are never again to be enslaved
to anyone or to anything.
And let us share with one another
our friendship, our joys, our goods,
with the blessing of Almighty God,
the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. R/ Amen.
Let us go in the peace and security of Christ.R/ Thanks be to God.
