Ecclesiasticus 3:17-20, 28-29 / Hebrews 12:18-19, 22-24 / Luke 14:1, 7-14
There are many things that can be bought with money, and money can also buy luxuries.
So, as long as we have the money, and if we can afford it, then we can get almost anything we want.
And money has a way of making us look at people as if they were things. In other words, we can use money to buy people, whether it is to get some work done or to be served by them, or to bribe people to get their favours.
So, money can make us look at people as things which can be bought and used.
But let us remember that the most important things in life are not things. And the most important things in life cannot be bought with money.
One of the most obvious important things that cannot be bought with money is health. There can be the best hospitals and the best advanced medicine, but that can't replace the health that is lost, or prolonged life for even a minute.
Another important thing is peace. Money cannot buy peace, especially when the hatred is deep and the hurt is scorching. No amount of money can buy a peaceful reconciliation.
And money certainly cannot buy love. True love comes from God, and God cannot be bought with money.
And since money cannot buy love, then it won't buy respect either. Respect is the fruit of love, and it is when we are loving to others that they will respect us.
Yes, respect cannot be demanded, it has to be earned, and it is not earned with money, but with love.
The 1st reading teaches us this: Be gentle in carrying out your business, and you will be better loved then a lavish giver.
So, a person may be a lavish giver, but if he does so to boost his pride and ego, then he is only exalting himself over others, and he may not receive any due respect.
So, the expression of true love is when we are gentle in our relationships with others and respect them.
The 1st reading also teaches us this: The greater you are, the more you should behave humbly, for great though the power of the Lord is, He accepts the homage of the humble.
So even though we may have money, we know that the important things in life are not things that can be bought with money.
The important things in life are love, peace, humility, gentleness and respect, and in fact, all those things that cannot be bought with money, those are truly important things.
There is this story of the richest man in a town and he was proud of his wealth. One day he took a drive around the town to look at his estate.
When he reached the outskirts of the town, he saw an old farmer who was about to have his simple lunch.
The farmer greeted the rich man respectfully. The rich man asked the farmer, “How is life?” The farmer replied, “The work is tough, the weather is unpredictable, but I am happy.” And he even offered to share his lunch with the rich man, but the rich man declined.
As the rich man was about to leave, the old farmer said, “Oh, I had a dream that the richest man in town will die tonight!”
The rich man scoffed at the idea of dreams, and returned home for lunch, but even though the food was sumptuous, he did not have the appetite.
He kept thinking about what the old farmer said, that the richest man in town will die that night. He tried to rest but couldn't, and so he called his doctor for a full medical check-up.
The doctor told him that all was fine and even offered to stay over for the night to make sure that all will be well. The night passed on and morning came and rich man was glad then he was still alive and well.
While having breakfast with the doctor, a servant came in and asked for the doctor. The doctor asked, “What is the matter?” The servant replied, “Can you come and take a look at the old farmer. I think he died in his sleep last night.”
So, money and riches cannot buy life, or the important things of life like love, peace, happiness, gentleness and respect.
That is the teaching of Jesus in the gospel.
Let us ask God to teach us to be humble and gentle, and we will know how to love and to respect others and to be respected by others.