Have you ever received a legacy where someone has left you something? We hear in this week's gospel of dissatisfaction with a legacy.

A little context is useful here. The man rather rudely interrupts Jesus who is teaching at the time demanding that Jesus tell his brother to give him his share of an inheritance. His question is not surprising as he sees Jesus as a rabbi and rabbis were routinely asked for their particular views on aspects of Jewish law and tradition. There is an irony in Jesus’ statement when he says, “who appointed me your judge” when in fact Jesus is the judge, who will be our judge – your judge – too.

Jesus' response is clear in his views about material goods, that life does not consist of the "abundance one one's processions". This view is found in Jewish tradition. Instinctively, particularly for those of us who are older, the caution urged upon us by Jesus rings very true. When someone dies and goes to meet God every aspect of outward show, poverty or prosperity, is stripped away. Today, for someone, somewhere, today is a person’s end time here on earth.

The knowledge of this should give us an insight, a “wisdom of heart” to know what is important. But we are besieged; we are bombarded by a culture and a society where acquisition and ownership seems to be everything – the whole of our society is structured around it. What are we to do?

As Christians we live in the presence of God and we look to a future with Him. We already participate in the divine life of God through the sacraments, also through fellowship with each other, and by being of service to others. But we also live in the world surrounded, as one hymn puts it, by a "thousand snares". Whilst we are in the world Jesus tells us that each and every one of us is called to be salt and light to our brothers and sisters; a point of reference for humanity in a complex and confusing landscape.

Yes, there are things that we need for ourselves and those that we love but, this needs to be kept in balance knowing that for us everything in this world is transient. All of us are our mortal, a mortality that can come to us at any time. Our bodies will die, we just don’t know when. But Jesus in his life, death, and resurrection shows us that our mortality is not our end. Jesus wants us to be where he is, in eternal beauty, light and peace where we are still ourselves but perfected. One with God; eternal life with, God willing, all those that we love.

In the material world you have probably heard the phrase “cape diem “, which is a Latin phrase meaning "seize the day"; perhaps a better term for us is “carpe aeternum”, seize eternity.

As always please be assured of my daily prayers for your needs and intentions.

Fr Chris