Gospel Reflection for Sunday 4th August The 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time
When is enough enough?
We all know that from looking at the advertisements on television, from reading the glossy magazines that come with our papers, not to mention social media, that we are overwhelmed with people trying to sell us so many things and products. We are often told and sold the message that unless we have the most modern phone, the latest car and the newest fashion that we won’t be happy, content or fulfilled. We have to ask ourselves, is this really true or is this fake news?
The gospel this Sunday reminds and challenges us about the danger of accumulating too much ‘stuff.’ It asks us to really think about how much energy and money we put in to buying things, having things, possessing things and the real danger of not sharing them with others. A man who has done well for himself through hard work has more than he needs to live on. What will he do with all he has worked so hard for?
He will build even bigger barns and store houses to protect all that he owns. Then he says that we will sit back and enjoy it all. Not a bad idea or plan at all. But then he hears bad news; ‘Fool, this very night your life is being demanded of you. And the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ When he dies, what will happened to all that he stored away for himself? What will happen to all his wealth and treasure when he dies? My Grandad used to say, there are no pockets in a shroud and you can’t take it with you.’
Jesus is not condemning the hard work of the man or his industrious nature. He is however, holding the man’s attitude and decision about keeping everything to and for himself up to us as something not to copy. He does not think to use his wealth to help others. Perhaps all that he has earned, owns and possesses has made him blind and deaf to the needs of those around him.
From where does our sense of self-worth and sense of truly value come? Does it come from wanting and buying more things? Does it come from having the latest phone? If we lost all that we have, would our lives have any less meaning or purpose? Here is Good News, not fake news: God loves us for who we are, not for what we have, buy, own or possess. God loves us for who are, not for what we achieve.
If we are lucky enough to have enough money or even more than we need, if that’s even possible today, are we like the man in the gospel; do we keep it all to ourselves or do we share it with others when and where can?
The woman in the gospel who put her one penny into the temple coffers, in her poverty gave everything she had to live on. Even though she had very little, she had the heart to give it away. Perhaps we could follow her example this coming week.
– Br Michael Moore
Gospel: Luke 12:13-21©
The Rich Fool, a warning against greed and selfishness
Someone in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me.” But he said to him, “Friend, who set me to be a judge or arbitrator over you?” And he said to them, “Take care! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of possessions.”
Then he told them a parable: “The land of a rich man produced abundantly. And he thought to himself, ‘What should I do, for I have no place to store my crops?’ Then he said, I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, ‘Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.’ But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life is being demanded of you. And the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ So it is with those who store up treasures for themselves but are not rich toward God.”
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