15th Sunday in Ordinary Time (B)

INTRO: tell story of the Accidental Tourist

A theology student was invited to study with a famous Rabbi, a scholar renowned for his wisdom and holiness. The student travelled many miles to meet the famous man.

Upon arriving the student carrying his heavy luggage, was SHOCKED to enter the Rabbi’s house – it only had a table, a chair, a few books, a small bed, and a lantern!

The student quizzically asked, “Forgive my curiosity, Rabbi, but where is all your furniture?

The Rabbi replied, “MY furniture? Where is YOUR furniture, my friend?”

The student answered, “Well, Rabbi, I do not need furniture. I am only a student, a visitor here, just passing through!”

“Ah,” the Rabbi said with a smile, “So am I, so am I just passing through!”

The Rabbi’s answer was a PHILOSOPHY of LIFE for him that made him holy and wise…………something we all want to become…. HOLY and WISE.

“I am just a visitor here.”
“Just passing through.”

The Rabbi believes that there is no need for a LOT of stuff to accomplish holiness and TRUE wisdom……. “Stuff” just gets in the way!

What about Jesus and “STUFF”? He is HOLY and WISE like the famous Rabbi!

He says, carry only a walking stick….NO SECOND TUNIC, NO FOOD, NO SACK, NO MONEY.

Today, we use STUFF to get things done.
Computer
iPhone
etc.….
and that is okay, but clinging to it, holding onto it in a selfish way is what we need to be careful of.

I am sure you can think of someone who is said to be living “LARGE.” That person has mansions here and there, a boat, a plane, fancy cars, all kinds of “stuff.” Again, that is fine, but when that person living “large” forgets why they are on this earth, ignoring their attempts to grow in holiness, which is what Jesus tells us today.

CONCLUSION

The Rabbi did excellent work becoming holy and wise because he let himself not get bogged down with material things. May we do the same!