“And others are the ones sown among thorns; they are those who hear the word, but the cares of the world, and the delight in riches, and the desire for other things, enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful.”
Excerpt, Gospel Reading, Wednesday 29th January 2025 – MARK 4:1-20.
So, my dear friend, when we were born into this world, we came in naked. Those of us who were privileged enough to be wrapped in clothing on arrival, the clothes must have been from some clothing items acquired not by us.
Similarly, when we eventually depart this world, ordinarily, we should be buried naked safe for the magnanimity of others who would get a piece of white clothing to wrap up our remains.
So, we arrived naked and we supposedly also departs naked.
Now, if we are fortunate enough to live in this world for up to 100 years, but we are aware that on departure we will return naked and empty-handed as we came, why then, between our arrival and departure the unnecessary fretting and agonising and worrying about the things of the world the we met here and will certainly still leave them here?
Money is good. Having plenty of money is better. And, having excess money is probably even the best.
However, between one who barely has a thousand Naira to his name and he who has excess money, none hardly goes to bed without first having at least a meal for that day.
Food is the same (food is food), richly made or otherwise, they are all for sustenance. It is what may be inside that could be the difference.
A billionaire that has excess of money could daily be sipping a 40 years old wine that costs about N5 million a bottle, whereas that pauper with barely N1,000 to his name equally enjoys a calabash of ‘burukutu’ (local millet brew) everyday with his friends.
At the end of their binge drinking or drinking spree, both the billionaire and the pauper would be high from alcoholic substance in their blood stream.
The billionaire may be chauffeured home in an air conditioned car amidst a cool soothing jazz music oozing from the car stereo, whereas, the pauper together with his friends would stumble home enjoying the free natural breeze and possibly with cheers and snickering from children and other passers-by.
The billionaire wound most probably fall asleep on a king-size soft bed with feathery pillows. The pauper may fall asleep on his bed made probably from palm tree stems or on a mat. But you know what, when they eventually wake from their sleep the next day, they all would have enjoyed a sound sleep.
Designer clothes and the usual off-the-shelf clothes are all clothing items that cover up our nakedness. Nevertheless, if designer clothes make you happy and you can afford them and you have the money, by all means, get them.
However, there’s really no need getting all worked up about the things of the world, making them become our gods so much so that we get carried away from our primary concern in this world of doing the will of God.
My dear friend, what we will supposedly take away from this world at our time of departure is Who/what we made our God and how we related with our fellow humans.
Dear friend, may we never allow ourselves to be sown among thorns.
Have a fantastic day folks.
#Blessed_Carlo_Acutis! #Pray_for_us!
-Akase F. Agabo
29th January 2025.