Going through my youngest daughter’s closet this past summer, I discovered four pairs of school uniform socks, still in their packaging. I thought they were a great find – until I realized they were too small!

I have a habit of planning ahead and holding onto things for “someday,” only to forget about them when they are required. These socks were purchased proactively; yet, sadly, just like food that becomes freezer-burned or bread that goes mouldy before anyone eats it, they effectively lost their value because they became part of a stockpile.

In Luke 12:16-21, we hear Jesus’ parable of the rich man with such a bountiful harvest that he plans to tear down his barns to build bigger barns. He amasses material goods, preparing to eat and drink for years to come, only to be told, “‘You fool, this night your life will be demanded of you; and the things you have prepared, to whom will they belong?’”

Jesus uses this imagery to remind us of the adage “You can’t take it with you,” which is particularly fitting at this time of year. During the harvest season, we give thanks for our gifts. Produce is frozen and canned, some people hunt and fish, and others cut and store firewood. (During this time of COVID-19, many also still stow away toilet paper!)

In his homily on Aug. 4, 2019, Bishop Robert Barron encourages us to use our earthly gifts well and reminded us of Jesus’ words, “Take care to guard against all greed, for though one may be rich, one’s life does not consist of possessions” (Lk 12:15). He stresses that, in this warning, Jesus is “not decrying possessions in themselves” but is indeed telling his listeners not to make possessions the basis of their lives.

Bishop Barron says we need to “detach ourselves from the goods of this world.” Buying items when they are on sale is an economic way to care for our families; saving for retirement and holding onto mementoes are responsible, practical, and even loving actions. However, in human weakness, anyone can become greedy. Even without fat wallets or full closets, we can become attached to belongings. 

Working to provide room to store items (build bigger barns) or letting things sit on a shelf to preserve their physical appearance (never using the “good” china comes to mind) suggest we are becoming focused on material possessions. Bishop Barron reminds us that possessions “should never be what we live for.”

“People before things” is a phrase an old friend used to wisely profess. I would like to amend her saying to include “and God before everything.” For, whenever we find ourselves complacently taking what we have for granted, we need to stop, re-evaluate, and always return thanks to God.

In Colossians 3:2, St. Paul states, “Think of what is above, not of what is on earth.” Bishop Barron stresses that we need not deprive ourselves of all earthly belongings and desires. St. Paul’s message “has to do indeed with the ultimate orientation of one’s life, with what one values above all. To value God, to look to the things of heaven, that’s to value love, mercy, justice, truth – the things that . . . of their very nature are eternal . . . Once those are firmly in place, as your defining values, then you’ll know what to do with whatever worldly goods you may obtain.”

Using our earthly gifts with gratitude, generosity, and purpose leads us to God. When we assist others, giving not only from our excess, we serve him. Even when we clean closets and donate items that have been outgrown, we think beyond ourselves.

In hindsight, I have come to realize that the socks in my daughter’s closet actually were a “great find.” They reminded me that all earthly possessions have expiry dates. Rather than saving “stuff” for the future, I need to focus on material moderation.

I must prioritize the stockpiling of eternal goods, so that when this life is demanded of me too, I will have virtue, love, and mercy sufficient to carry me through to the next.