In today’s gospel (Luke 12:13-21) we hear Jesus speaking the parable of the rich man who selfishly stores away an overabundant grain harvest as his prized possession. Jesus is making it clear that we should take care to make spiritual matters a priority over material things – that we should be intent on what matters to God, that we should make our main concern helping God bring about his Kingdom, that we should selflessly share our lives and our gifts with others.
Similarly St. Paul (Colossians 3:1-5;9-11) emphasizes the need for us to “set our minds on the things that are above, not on the things that are on earth” – to live our lives in a way that conforms to God’s law and God’s will, a life that is modelled after the life of Christ, a life that pays God’s love forward to all those we encounter.
And in a similar vein, today’s Old Testament writer (Ecclesiastes 1:2;2:22-23) seems to be suggesting that there will be a great deal of emptiness in a life lived selfishly focused on ourselves and our material existence. Instead, a life lived focused on love of God and neighbor will be much more fulfilling
And of course we know that all of this is true.
And today I was privileged to encounter someone who bears witness to this.
At today’s mass the presiding priest was Monsignor Capik. This is a man in whom I hold great admiration and respect. The Monsignor is an elderly retired priest – an octogenarian whose disposition is more like that of a 20 year old. Here we see a man who is growing old most gracefully while holding onto a skip in his step and a bright spirit of optimism and wonder that is usually reserved for the young. Through this man God shows us the grace and dignity associated with growing old, and the value of maintaining a youthful disposition as we get into our later years.
As I am growing older and starting to realize the challenges in holding onto a youthful and optimistic disposition, Monsignor Capik is one whom I look to. Whenever I hear him preach, I am always amazed at his spirit and left wondering how he can so consistently maintain such a positive youthful outlook.
Today I think this question was answered for me.
You see, in his sermon the Monsignor mentioned that when he prays for himself he has but one prayer – “Lord grant me peace”. It is a focus on what is above, on God’s grace, on what matters to God, that allows Monsignor Capik to live with such an optimistic positive attitude. It is an openness to the peace that God bestows on us that informs Monsignor Capik’s life.
And the Monsignor’s statement on prayer caused me to contemplate what my own prayer is in those instances when I pray for myself – “Lord help me to always feel your presence”. This is really the only prayer I pray for myself. I don’t necessarily ask for material things, help with vices, or even good health. I simply ask that no matter where my life takes me that God always grants me the ability to discern his presence.
And as I thought about all this, I came to realize that my prayer and the prayer of Monseigneur Capik might be one and the same. Maybe our two prayers intersect as – “Lord help me to always experience the peace that you so lovingly bestow on us”.
And I’m left wondering – with our gaze fixed on God and the things above, might this be the only prayer that we need to say for ourselves, a prayer that is likely never to be ignored.