*ARE YOU WILLING TO LET GO?* (Wisdom 7:7-11; Heb 4:12-13; Mark 10:17-30).

*ARE YOU WILLING TO LET GO?* (Wisdom 7:7-11; Heb 4:12-13; Mark 10:17-30).

By REV. FR. PAUL ANIGBORO

What have you that you don't want to let go? What do you cling tenaciously on that you think your whole life depends on it? Are you a prisoner of your possessions? Today’s readings remind us that we do not possess anything in our life that we refuse to surrender to the Lord. In reality, these things often possess us, and we become the prisoners of our possessions. What we have really done is to give our "things” top priority in our lives. 
 
Nigeria is a wonderful country and each month there is something new in social media that becomes the trend for the month. Currently, the trending stuff is important, importanter and imporrantest. We need to apply this stuff to our readings today. What do you think is important in your life? What is even more important or 'importanter'? And what is the most important thing to you or Importantest? 
 
As Christians our main aim and target is to make heaven and that automatically becomes the most important thing in our lives. The gospel reading today tells us how to achieve it with the story of the rich man who came to Jesus to ask what to do in order to inherit eternal life. The final response of Jesus left him sad as he had become a prisoner to his possessions and he was unwilling to let go. 
 
This rich man is a perfect example to today's Christians who wants to make heaven but still hold on tenaciously to their material possessions. Jesus reminds us today of how difficult it will be for a rich man to enter heaven (Mk 10:25). Being rich here is not only in terms of money. It has to do with those things you hold on to and unwilling to let go.
 
The first reading (Wisdom 7:7-11) advises us to use the God-given virtue of prudence and to seek true wisdom in preference to vanishing realities like riches or political and social influence. Solomon chose Wisdom before everything else. But when he accepted Wisdom, he received everything else along with her. Since Jesus is Wisdom Incarnate, when we put following Jesus ahead of everything else we receive everything else along with Jesus. This surely explains what Jesus said in Matt. 6:33 about seeking God's kingdom first and every other thing being added unto it. Wisdom will help is make the right decision and know things to give topmost priority to. 
 
The second reading (Hebrews 4: 12-13) warns us that we are accountable before God as to how we use our blessings and that the “living and effective word of God” must be our guide in evaluating the use of our blessings. Whatever we have in this world is a gift from our loving God and that is why he told the rich man to sell all he owns and assist the poor. The of having comes in giving. On judgement day, we shall be judge according to how much love we have shown.
 
We live in a world today where money is important and we need it for our daily use. However, we are not to become slaves to money. We become slaves when we have the following tendencies: Greed, Envy, Ready to sacrifice Sunday masses just to stay in shop and so on. Human wants are insatiable. Don't be a slave to your passion and desires. Get what is needed and important, let go of the things that are not important to you. Be kind and generous with what you have. In conclusion, money is important, wisdom is importanter and making heaven is importantest. Set your priority right. Don't chase things that will vanish, chase things that will last forever and will lead you to heaven. Heaven is the goal. Wetin we be if we no make heaven?
 
Lord, help us to set our priorities right, teach us to know that this world is not our own and make us long for the things that will lead us to heaven. Amen.
 
Good morning and do have a wonderful week ahead. God loves you.

Our Social Media