Reflection for October 20 Monday of the Twenty-ninth Week in Ordinary Time: Luke 12:13-21

Gospel: Luke 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 I shall 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 all who store up treasure for themselves but are not rich in what matters to God.”

+ + + + + + +

Reflection:

A rich woman unexpectedly died without leaving behind a last will and testament. Her children began bickering because each of them wanted to have the biggest share of the wealth. As a result, the once strong and loving sibling relationship became divided and distant, and the reason behind it was their greed for material wealth.

There are people who feel secure with material wealth, as if it could save them from the certainty of death. Some believe that because they have material wealth, they can even buy the soul and honor of their fellowmen. These are all false notions, for material wealth is temporary and is not the be-all and end-all of life.

Material wealth, by itself, is not bad because it can sustain our life in this world. It can also be an instrument for spreading the love and mercy of God. For example, when we help someone in need using our material wealth, it is surely not wrong. However, material wealth becomes evil when we grow greedy and allow it to possess and dictate us.

In the Gospel, Jesus tells us that life is not about material possessions. If life is not about material possessions, then what is life all about? Life is about God! Even if we have all the material wealth in this world, if we do not have God in our lives, our life will still be empty and barren.

This is for the simple reason that material wealth can be swiftly taken from us at any time, and it surely cannot bring us to heaven when our time to leave this world comes. On the other hand, if we choose to have God, He will be with us for all eternity.

When we fix our hearts on wealth, we build our lives on shifting sand. But when we anchor our lives in God, we build on a foundation that can never be shaken. Material possessions may comfort us for a while, but only God can give us lasting joy, peace, and eternal security. Let us remember that everything we have is just borrowed, entrusted to us to use wisely and generously for His glory.

As we journey through life, let us examine our hearts and our priorities. Are we clinging to material wealth as our source of security, or are we entrusting everything to God, our true treasure?

What will matter most when our time comes — the riches we’ve stored on earth or the eternal riches we’ve stored in heaven? – Marino J. Dasmarinas