ABAJO, ARRIBA, A DENTRO!
18 th Sunday Year C August 4, 2013 ABAJO, ARRIBA, A DENTRO! Hispanics use this all the time when celebrating (and eating and drinking) wih friends. They sound to me exactly like what the three readings today speak about. The first reading, from Qoheleth, tells us what it means to be focused solely on the things of this world, on things and activities below – a bajo – here on this mortal earth. And what wisdom does he offer us? He says it’s all vanity. “Vanity of vanities!” But just like friends toasting one another before a drink, we need to raise things to a higher level. Like Paul did. He counsels us to “seek what is above, not what is on earth.” He advises us to set our sights on the higher realities of life, not merely on things that are below. Arriba! This is what he tells us to do. But there is more … In the Gospel passage from Luke, we are confronted with two brothers who apparently are wrangling about material goods...