Word to the Wise
Monday, October 22, 2007 - Twenty-ninth Monday in Ordinary Time
[Romans 4:20-25 and Luke 12:13-21]Take care to guard against all greed, for though one may be rich, one's life does not consist of possessions.
The "packrat" syndrome runs strong in my family. "Stuff" piles up in attics, garages, on shelves, etc. Yes, I profess a vow of poverty which means I actually own nothing, but I am pretty well surrounded by a lot of "stuff" that I don't "own." Visitors to my place of abode here in KY will testify that it's mostly books and kitchen gadgets with a fair amount of pictures of friends on the walls. A visit to the "trunk room" in any large Dominican house is like a visit to your garage or attic. "Stuff" just sits there for years until a crusading prior or bursar throws it out and the process begins all over again. In most cases I doubt the reason for keeping the "stuff" is as serious as the Rich Fool in the parable, but one has to wonder why the "it might come in handy someday" thinking so often gets out of hand. Is there a subconscious question of security? Are we, underneath it all, unable to part with the "stuff?" The Rich Fool gets in trouble for two reasons. First of all, he places his security in material things: big crops and bigger barns. Second, he fails to share it, which in Jesus' time would make him culpable since it was a cultural obligation for the wealthy to give alms. Here in the United States our health care system is good enough that we take good health for granted and fail to place our "security" in God-given life itself. Instead we turn to the consumer goods that are often symbols of prosperity or cleverness or whatever image we want to project of ourselves. The parable reminds us that we could die anytime and "we can't take it with us." Throughout the gospel of Luke, we are reminded that if we enjoy an abundance of material wealth the best thing to do with it is give it away! The perspective that comes with a situation like having a beautiful home or expensive car and being bedridden with a terminal illness at the same time can help us make some important decisions. If we could imagine such a difficult situation for ourselves, what would we do with the home or car or any other "stuff?" The sobering parable of the Rich Fool turns the question around. How do we become "rich" in the sight of God, and not how do we become "rich" in the sight of our mirror or our neighbors. AMEN
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