Monday of the Twenty-ninth Week in Ordinary Time
If you have ever perused writings on Benedictine Spirituality you may have come across this quote from St. Benedict: “Keep death always before your eyes.” This sounds very strange as in our culture as death is considered something to avoid at all cost, something to put off as long as possible, or something to dread. Who among us desires to keep death in the forefront of their thinking? Even us, as disciples of Jesus must admit death is not something we want to think about. Christ is all about resurrection and life, abundance, truth and goodness. However, this day's readings can be seen as an invitation to reflect on how facing death may influence the way I live.
In the Gospel Jesus relates the parable of the rich man with the bountiful harvest building ever larger places to store up all his goods. "Rest, eat, drink, and be merry!" proclaims the rich man once he everything safely stored away for himself. God replies to him, "You fool, this night your life will be demanded of you; and the things you have prepared, to whom will they belong?' And it shall be just so with each and every one of us. The simplest, yet most important, thing required of us is to stay close to Jesus—always. That relationship is the way Jesus reveals to us what must be done, how we must live our lives that they may be 'rich in what matters to God'.
In a wonderful commentary on the Rule of St. Benedict, Esther de Waal says, “If death is the gateway to life with Christ, then daily I want to rejoice in that prospect.” Keeping in mind that we will surely pass from this life into eternity, gives purpose and meaning to our earthly life as nothing else can. This fact makes the daily encounter with Jesus ever more urgent and vital. What I do this day may be riddled with my failings, but as I labor with my eyes focused on Jesus, I can experience a foretaste of the joy and peace that awaits me when I pass from this life into his eternal embrace. This day, I pray I will embrace this special grace and live more fully in life with Jesus.
--Gail Lyman