Readings: 1 Kings 21:1-16; Psalm 5; Matthew 5:38-42
Today, I feel the Lord wants us to ask ourselves some important questions;
I. What are the important things in my life? (Priorities).
II. What am I living for? (Vision).
III. In what do I seek happiness? (Meaning)
IV. What amuses, excites or makes me enthusiastic? (Drive).
V. What is the summary of my life? (Essence).
In today’s first reading, we see the priorities, vision, meaning, drive and the summary of the life of Ahab.
He was the king of Samaria, he had so much wealth, power, possessions, recognition and fame but those were not enough, he wanted the vineyard of Naboth of Jezreel, and because Naboth would not give him, he became grumpy, gloomy, sad, miserable, picking on everyone and refused to eat.
For Ahab, happiness is in what a person possesses, his priority was to acquire more possessions, to live was to increase his properties and control, to obtain what he desired, he had no problem destroying the life of another person. His life could be summarised this way; Ahab was a greedy, self-centred and wicked king.
The values, purpose, meaning and significance of our lives are revealed in the way we treat people and our disposition or the values we place on material things.
This is why in today’s gospel, Jesus exhorts us not to be vengeful, too attached to what we possess but rather be willing to forgive and to forgo.
Unless we place greatest values on things of God and on seeking the well being of others; unless our happiness is fundamentally tied to God and sought in Him and not in the things of this world, our life is not built on the right foundation and it is bereft of meaning and genuine hope.
Sermon preached by Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Okami on June 15, 2020