Fat Cat Leaves a Caboodle

Oregon's richest cat has gone to the big litter box in the sky - and left the town of Tangent $150,000 richer. More than Twelve years ago Kitty Cat Bass inherited owner John Bass' five-bedroom farmhouse, lived there until her nine lives were up, and then left the estate to the city, as the deceased owner's will stipulated.

Even a kitty "has not a lasting city" (Heb 13:14 NAB). The wealthiest "fat cat" in your nearby upscale neighborhood will eventually have to leave all his material goods as he is stripped of everything by the grim reaper. At every funeral we are reminded by the remains in the casket that "you can't take it with you." Or, as the old bromide has it, "There are no pockets in a shroud." 

It helps to recall the parable about the materialist who built bigger barns for his accumulated wealth. God said to him. "You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you." Jesus concludes: "This is how it wil be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not right toward God" (Lk 12:!6-21).

Providing a "nest egg" for one's future is not bad (otherwise buying insurance would be sinful, as would pension provision). But storing up riches without being "rich toward God," says Jesus, is a stupidity great enought to deserve the epithet, "You fool!" "Provide purses for yourselves that wil not wear out," he urges, "a treasure in heaven that wil not be exhausted" (Lk 12:33).

This excerpt is from the book One-Minute Meditations for Busy People, by John H. Hampsch, C.M.F., originally published by Servant Publications. It and other of Fr. Hampsch's books and audio/video recordings can be purchased from Claretian Teaching Ministry, 20610 Manhattan Pl, #120, Torrance, CA 90501-1863. Phone 1-310-782-6408 or www.Catholicbooks.net