Gospel for October 19, 2009, Monday
Claretian Communications Foundation, Inc. | 10/19/2009 12:40 AM
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29th Week in Ordinary Time
Isaac Jogues and John de Brebeuf and Companions / Paul of the Cross
1st Reading: Rom 4:20–25
Gospel: Lk 12:13–21
Someone in the crowd spoke to Jesus, “Master, tell my brother to share with me the family inheritance.” He replied, “My friend, who has appointed me as your judge or your attorney?” Then Jesus said to the people, “Be on your guard and avoid every kind of greed, for even though you have many possessions, it is not that which gives you life.”
And Jesus continued with this story, “There was a rich man and his land had produced a good harvest. He thought: ‘What shall I do? For I am short of room to store my harvest.’ So this is what he planned: ‘I will pull down my barns and build bigger ones to store all this grain, which is my wealth. Then I may say to myself: My friend, you have a lot of good things put by for many years. Rest, eat, drink and enjoy yourself.’ But God said to him: ‘You fool! This very night your life will be taken from you; tell me who shall get all you have put aside?’ This is the lot of the one who stores up riches instead of amassing for God.”
Commentary
“Even though you have many possessions, it is not that which gives you life.” When we hear something like this our natural defense mechanisms kick in, causing us to think that we don’t value possessions much. We say to ourselves that we’re not rich; we don’t have abundant possessions, and we live differently. Most of our lives, however, are engaged in collecting more things and desiring more things.
Let’s ask ourselves how we would feel if we lost it all? What if we lost our home, car and bank account? How then would we feel? We certainly recognize that for most of us some possessions as well as shelter are necessary evils for our sheer survival. We should not, however, become unduly attached to them. Who among us can say that, while we accept good things from God, we also accept bad luck? The only way we should live is to realize and accept Christ’s truth: our life is, indeed, worth more than our possessions. It is good to be prudent for our material welfare; but let’s also be prudent spiritually. We will all die and our possessions will go to someone else; so let’s provide for that as well!
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