Auction of the Lifetime (2017)
Fr. Martin Fuchs´s sermon on 1st January 2017, Prague, Czech republic
***
Far away from the commotion of
the world, deep in the centre of Australia, a father and his son who had a
great affection for each other, lived on a lonely farm. They possessed an art
collection which they had gathered together during many years. They very much
enjoyed tracking more selected works of art and add them to their collection.
In the meantime precious paintings of Picasso, Van Gogh, Rembrandt and other
renowned artists adorned the walls of the farm house. The elder man, a widower,
observed with contentment how his only child in the course of time, became an
experienced art collector. The father was very proud of the trained eye and the
smart business sense which his son proved when dealing worldwide with other art
collectors.
At the beginning of the winter
a terrible war broke out in the country and the young man left his father’s
house in order to serve his people. Already a few weeks later his father
received a telegram telling him that his beloved son had been missing in a
battle. The worried farmer was waiting for more news and at the same time feared
to never see his son again. Some time later his fears were confirmed. The young
man had been killed when carrying a wounded fellow-soldier towards a doctor. This
news affected the old man. Before coming of Christmas he was deeply grieved and
full of lonesome sorrow. The happiness of former Christmas times, a time which
he and his son had always been looking forward with joy, would never again fill
his house.
On Christmas morning a
vehement knocking on the door awoke the gloomy old man. When he opened, a
soldier greeted him who carried a large package in his hand and who introduced
himself with the following words: “I was a friend of your son. I was the one
whose life he had saved before he died. May I come in for a few minutes? I
would like to show you something.“ The soldier then told him about the enthusiasm
of his friend when he had told everybody of his passion for art, not to mention
the passion of his father. “I am an artist myself, unknown it is true, but I am
a passionate hobby painter“, said the soldier, “and I would like to give you
this.“ The old man immediately opened the package – he could hardly believe his
eyes, but it was the portrait of his son. Although the world of art would never
consider it a brilliant work, this portrait represented the face of his beloved
son in impressive details. The old man, deeply moved, thanked the soldier and
promised to suspend the painting above his chimney. When the soldier had gone,
the old man immediately set to work. He had to take off some of the most
precious paintings from his preferred field of vision. He then set down in his
arm chair and spent almost the whole Christmas time looking at the portrait of
his son.
During the following weeks the
old man was comforted again and again by the thought: “Although my son is not
alive any more, he will be unforgotten by all those who were once in contact
with him.“ As the father learned later, his son had not only saved the painter,
but many wounded soldiers, before a deadly bullet had set an end to his life.
When the old man learned about the courage and the helpfulness of his son, he
was filled with paternal pride and peace which slowly began to relieve his
pain. The portrait of his son became his most precious jewel and it eclipsed
the attention which he formerly had paid to the other portraits, although the
museums all over the world would have been keen to get just these.
He also told all his
neighbours in endless enthusiasm that this was the most wonderful present which
he ever had received.
During the following spring
the old man become so ill that he died after a short time. Art collectors all
over the world got very excited at this news! They now saw a chance to gain
exquisite rarities. None of them wasted any thought on the tragic fate of the
old man’s only son; they were only interested in the forthcoming auction.
According to the last will of the old man the auction of all the paintings did
not take place immediately but on the following Christmas day, on that same day
when he once had received his most beautiful present. This day finally came and
rich art collectors from all over the world hoped to buy some of the
spectacular art treasures for which they would be envied by many others.
The auction has begun. There
was absolute silence among the widely travelled. With which treasure might this
special day begin? But at the great disappointment of all art experts the first
picture which was put in auction was of absolutely no value to them. It was the
portrait of the son. The auctioneer asked for a first bid but the assembly
remained silent. He reacted by making an unusually low bid: “Who will open
offering 100 $?“
Again some minutes of silence
passed. Nobody moved. Finally a voice came from the backmost part of the room:
“Who cares for this painting? It is only the not very artistic portrait of the
farmer’s son. Let us forget about it and start with the real paintings!“ The
other art collectors loudly agreed with him. “No, this portrait has to be sold
in the first place“, the auctioneer answered resolutely. “So who will take the
son?“
After some hesitation a farm
worker, who had been employed by the deceased old man for many years, replied:
“Would you eventually leave me this painting for 10 $? This is all the cash
which I possess. I knew this boy very well and his portrait would be a
beautiful souvenir to me.“ – “Is there anyone offering more?,“ the auctioneer
called into the uncomprehending crowd. After several minutes of silence he
proceeded with the usual formula: “10 $ first, 10 $ second, 10 $ third!“. The hammer had gone down and the portrait was sold to
the farm worker.
Applause filled the room and
an excited voice claimed: “Can we now finally start with giving our bids for
the real treasures?“ But the auctioneer looked at the audience and declared
that the auction was already finished.
Disbelieving astonishment
extinguished every noise in the hall. The first one of the persons present who
recovered his voice asked: “What do you mean by ´It is over´? We did not make
the long journey up to this desolated wilderness in order to buy the portrait
of the son of some old farmer.“
He pointed at the gallery: “What
will happen to all these remaining works of art? There are millionfold values!
I demand that you continue the auction!“
But the auctioneer reacted in
an extremely cool manner: “It is very simple! It was the will of the father: ´Whoever
takes the son will get everything else in addition.´“
Dear Brethren!
Is it not the same in the
spiritual domain? If we always carry the portrait of the son with us, we have
everything, we possess everything, even if we possess nothing, heaven on earth
then belongs to us.
Christ has become incarnated
in order to make us children of God, in order to have us to take part in his
divine life. We are not only called children of God, we are his children.
The heavenly Father sees his
son in us if we carry this portrait in us. The world wants different pictures.
The world takes different pictures for precious treasures but overlooks the
real treasure. People come from the distant places in order to buy these other
pictures and make many sacrifices in order to see and to possess them.
If we carry the portrait of
the son at the moment of our death, we are the happiest men. We can get this
portrait so easily, get it back easily; we do not even need to spend 10 $ for
it.
We have this portrait if we
belong to the mysterious body of the Church.
This is the case when
-
we
are baptized an in possession of the state of grace
“Amen, amen I say
to thee, unless a man be born again of water and the Holy Gost, he cannot enter
into the kingdom of God.“ (Jn 3,5)
-
we
possess the true faith.
“Go ye in the
whole world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is
baptized, shall be saved, be he that believeth not shall be condemned.” (Mk 16,
15-16)
-
we
are in connection with the hierarchy of the Catholic Church.
“Thou art Peter;
and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not
prevail against it. And I will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven.“
(Mat 16, 18-19)
Let us make an effort to
preserve this portrait all over this year by evoking repentance if we sinned,
by confessing ourselves as soon as we have the opportunity and by avoiding the
next opportunity to sin.
Amen.