Pauline Reflections 20 - 21st March 2009
 

If then you were raised with Christ, set your hearts on things which are above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Have a mind all of whose thoughts are fixed on things which are above, not upon things on earth. For you died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. Whenever Christ, your life shall appear, then you too shall appear with him in glory.
Colossians 3:1-4
 

Paul takes our mind back to the significance and proper meaning of our baptism. He admonishes us all to hold on to the fundamental truth we each chose at our baptism. He recalls figuratively, how we died with Christ, as the water closed over us or poured over our heads, and how we were raised with Him as we lifted up our heads again, implying a resurrection to new life. Dying with Christ and rising with him, in a sense, means dying to the things of this world and having a mind like Christ; not allowing the things of this world to rule us and become obstacles to our spiritual growth or to our relationship with Christ. It implies that Christians should consider everything in the context of eternity, with our minds fixed on the things that are above. This is not a negation of worldly blessings, but a call to use them well in light of our Christian values. 

In a very practical sense, I think these verses appeal to Christians today in the light of the credit crunch. The world economy is failing as a result of man's greed and wrong use of money. This prompts us to get our priorities right. Archbishop Kevin McDonald’s pastoral letter for the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord put it very clearly: ‘The current financial crisis raises questions about our attitude to money and to profit. On a personal level, it puts questions to us about what we put our faith in, about where we look in order to ensure our security and prosperity.' Just as Paul admonishes us in these verses, Archbishop Kevin invites us to learn lessons from the present financial crisis about our attitudes to wealth, possessions and property. 
 

Prayer

Lord Jesus, give me the grace to live simply as you did, and to make proper use of the things of this world - not as ends in themselves but as means to a better life in this world in preparation for eternity. Amen.