By: Ginaba Lino
A Catholic priest from the Order of St. Augustine, Belgium Province, has called on believers to put aside the desire for earthly possessions, which he says are a source of division and power struggles in society.
Fr. Santo Gaaniko Augustin, delivering a homily on Sunday at St. Theresa Cathedral in the Archdiocese of Juba, emphasized that greed drives the desire for wealth and power.
“Covetousness controls our desire for wealth and power. We begin to think we are entitled to enjoy the material things that God created and gave us as blessings—to be shared with our brothers and sisters,” said Fr. Santo.
The South Sudanese-born Augustinian priest warned that when people remove God and their fellow human beings from their lives and settle in their comfort zones, all earthly things become meaningless.
“This is a challenge for us: where does our treasure rest? What is our ultimate desire? All that God has blessed us with—how do we enjoy and share them?”
“What is our sacramental life like? How often do we enter into dialogue with God and into communion with Him as individuals?” he asked.
“Do you take time to reflect and encounter God in the Blessed Sacrament? Do you seek His mercy through the Sacrament of Reconciliation?”
Fr. Santo urged believers to invest in heavenly treasures and care for both body and soul.
“As we prepare to enter His Kingdom, let us pray for His guidance against impurity, immorality, and all that causes discomfort in our society.”
He concluded by encouraging Christians to transform their blessings into opportunities for nurturing the next generation instead of focusing solely on personal gain.