Homily of Saturday of the 25th week in ordinary time.
Ecclesiastes 11:9-12:8, Luke 9:43b-45
There is a folklore about a race between a dog and a tortoise. Before the race, the dog boasted it would win in no time, and the fans agreed. However, halfway to the finish line, the dog found a bone and stopped to lick it, forgetting its goal. To the surprise of the fans, the tortoise overtook the dog and won. The dog, unbothered, saw the bone as its finish line.
Similarly, many of life’s pursuits mirror this story. We set goals, but along the way, some of us become distracted by appealing diversions, forgetting we haven’t yet reached our true destination.
A philosopher once wrote, “Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth. Walk in the ways of your heart and the sight of your eyes, but know that for all these things, God will bring you into judgment… for youth and the dawn of life are vanity. Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come… when man goes to his eternal home and mourners go about the streets… and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it” (Ecclesiastes 11:9; 12:1, 5b, 7).
I recall being a young boy in primary school when I told my father I wanted to become a priest. He was surprised but supported me. As I grew older, financial difficulties made me consider becoming an accountant to help lift my family out of poverty. However, no matter how hard I tried, I faced constant frustrations and setbacks in pursuing that path. Eventually, I returned to my original goal and entered the seminary. This decision brought me peace, joy, and success because I had remembered my ultimate purpose.
Beloved, when we set our goals, how often do we think of our ultimate destiny? May we always work for things that will last through Christ our Lord. Amen.
