stop clinging..... 32nd Sunday B 2018

Fr. Anthony de Mello narrates a story which can further deepen our understanding of the words of Jesus in the gospel.  

One day a holy man reached the outskirts of the village and settled under a tree for the night.  A villager came running up to him and said, “The stone! The stone! Give me the precious stone!” 

“What stone?” asked the holy man.  “Last night an angel told me in a dream that if I went to the outskirts of the village at dusk a holy man would give me a stone that would make me rich forever.”  The holy man rummaged in his sack and, pulling out a stone, he said, “He probably meant this one. I found it in the forest yesterday. Here, it’s yours if you want it.” 

The man gazed at the stone in wonder. It was the largest diamond in the world and he brought it home with him.  That night however the villager could not sleep and so early in the morning he woke the holy man and said, “Give me the wealth that makes it possible for you to give this stone away.” 

There are in particular two persons in the bible of which God has commanded Israel to take care of with stern warnings and even threats – they are the orphans and the widows.  Why? Because in a patriarchal society, they are the most vulnerable.  Among the poor they are the poorest.  And God is always pictured as one coming to their defense.  And yet the widows mentioned in our readings this morning are not presented as the needy to be helped, they are not presented as poor to be alleviated from poverty.  No, the widow of Zarephath was rich for she willingly shared the little that remained of her food. The widow in the temple was rich for she offered not from her abundance but from her whole livelihood.  They are rich in a sense that they can let go all that they have.  Today we approach these two widows and like the villager in the story we will ask, “Give us the wealth that makes it possible for you to give this stone away.”

Holiness is about letting go.  We all feel the need to be angry at times, we need to be right all the time.  Holiness however means to let go of those needs, to allow these strong emotions to pass without hurting anyone.  We desire approval, we crave for power, we need to control, to be in places of honor.  Holiness however means to let go of these desires, let them pass by serving humbly and anonymously.  We buy things to make ourselves feel better, we cling to things to make us feel safe and we horde to make us feel secure.  Holiness however means to let go of these attachments, to live life simply and to trust in God instead.  Generosity means learning to let go things of value to us; forgiveness means learning to let go of a grudge; joy means learning to let go of regrets, of past mistakes and painful encounters; contentment means learning to let go of the need for approval and the fear of making mistakes; love means letting go of my comfort zones for the sake of the other.

Emma, this is what your future baptism means. Stop clinging. Let go. Pray, “Give us the wealth that makes it possible for you to give this stone away.”