The Trinity of Me, Myself and I
23 October 2017
Today’s Gospel is incredibly relevant to the contemporary culture – namely the perversion of the ‘Trinity of the Me, Myself and I’.
We can get caught up in the physical, in our possessions and those of others. The physical possessions can become the highest priority in our lives. Whilst it is natural to enjoy wealth and to desire to provide for yourself a quality of life that fulfils your needs and desires. But there is a danger that we can find our identity in the pursuit of unattainable life based on happiness in ‘possessions’.
The Gospel raises the question, what are you actually living for? It is only in a personal encounter and ongoing relationship with Jesus, that we can discover our true identity. It is important that we understand our value is not dependent on what we have, but on who we are as children of God.
The rich man in the Gospel is not an evil man… but was a man who encountered obstacles to faith. St Ignatius mentioned three such obstacles – wealth, honour, and pride. The opposite of the obstacles are simplicity, integrity, and humility. Humility challenges our pride in what lies external to us and allows us to be proud of our true identity: children of God. To be humble is to recognise that we need nothing outside of this identity to fulfil the desires of our hearts, but must depend on Christ for all parts of our lives.
Today, let us ask what truly matters and seek to be judged on love, not on wealth. If we have wealth, let us look on leading a life of simplicity, integrity, and humility as we use our wealth for building the Kingdom of God.
Above all, let us not focus on the Trinity of the Me, Myself and I, but live a life inspired by the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit: becoming rich in mercy, love, forgiveness, and justice.
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