“Pennies From Heaven”
Father Peter Fitzgibbons
September 28-29, 2019
Scripture: Luke 16:19-31
I was born with multiple birth defects…awfully good looks and no money. Another common birth defect is no looks and lots of money. Yet, you cannot judge people from the outside…just look at me. I have a weak heart. My insides are not nearly as good as the outside. Recently, while I was meditating, I thought about my evil twin brother. When he passed away, he took his wallet with him, and I got zilch. Most often, people judge the amount of our wealth by what we have in our wallets. When I empty mine, all that’s there are pennies. Even though my parents were poor, they gave me a nest egg…the gift of faith. They took my brothers and me to church and had us baptized which infused the faith in us. The gift of faith was kept alive through the sacraments of Reconciliation and Confirmation. Later, my brother received the Sacrament of Matrimony, and for me, it was Holy Orders.
When we blame God for our shortcomings…if our inventory is depleted, our accounting work is incomplete. Our gifts can be placed into three columns. The middle column which contains the gift of faith makes the other two columns balance….to make sense. Some people think they don’t have talents and gifts. Not true. Everyone has them…it all depends on how they are used. I have two talents. One is as an Army chaplain, but I’m too old for that now. My mind still wants to write checks my body cannot cash. My other talent is as a hospital chaplain. What we do with our talents is the key to a rich life. If you don’t think you are rich, you are using the wrong accounting method.
All of our sufferings, fears, pains, sorrows, and joys make us far richer than any amount of money ever could. People in nursing homes are very wealthy because they have lots of crosses. They are wealthy because they can share with others the wisdom, knowledge, and grace gained from carrying those crosses….and that only comes from Christ and it is priceless. We all have the potential to share way more with others than we think. The more we give to others, the more we get back. So, if we use our talents and gifts correctly, we can all be rich, because as children of God, we will inherit His kingdom.
How will you apply this message to your life?
Are you using the right accounting method? Does the middle column on your balance sheet need adjustment? Focus on the middle column, the gift of faith, and everything else will fall into place.
