Gospel Reading: Lk 12:13-21
Someone in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, tell my brother to share the inheritance with me.” He replied to him, “Friend, who appointed me as your judge and arbitrator?” Then he said to the crowd, “Take care to guard against all greed, for though one may be rich, one’s life does not consist of possessions.”
Then he told them a parable. “There was a rich man whose land produced a bountiful harvest. He asked himself, ‘What shall I do, for I do not have space to store my harvest?’ And he said, ‘This is what shall I do: I shall tear down my barns and build larger ones. There I shall store all my grain and other goods and I shall say to myself, “Now as for you, you have so many good things stored up for many years, rest, eat, drink, be merry!” ’ But God said to him, ‘You fool, this night your life will be demanded of you; and the things you have prepared, to whom will they belong?’ Thus will it be for the one who stores up treasure for himself but is not rich in what matters to God.”
REFLECTION You fool
The parable is so clear in its message and yet we wonder whether it has been heeded by those to whom it is addressed! Indeed, in life most of us behave like the rich man: we work and work to earn and have more. And we work even harder, expanding our business, building additional shops, eventually forgetting God and what this life is ultimately about.
We cannot build our “heaven” here on earth. Jesus invites us what sort of riches we are to build up. Our riches unfortunately do not go with us to the next life. That is why we ought to realize the relative value of riches: whether they help us get to our ultimate destiny or they hinder us from reaching it. Riches are not enough; wisdom is also necessary.
Money can buy a house, but not a home… a bed, not sleep…
a clock, not time… a book, not knowledge…
food, not an appetite… friends, not love…
position, not respect… blood, not life… insurance, not safety…
a Bible, not a relationship with Jesus… religion, not salvation”
(My Life with God).
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SOURCE: “365 Days with the Lord,” ST PAULS, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 895-9701; Fax 895-7328; E-mail: [email protected]; Website: http://www.stpauls.ph.