Word to the Wise
Monday, October 22, 2012 - Monday in the 29th Week in Ordinary Time
[Eph 2:1-10 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." [Luke]
The story in today's gospel scripture is one that could resonate easily in our consumer culture! I don't watch a lot of television, but when I do, the commercials amaze me with their promises. Of course, if one looks closely, one may see in small print: "Your results may vary!" or a low voice may tell you of the possible side effects of their amazing new health recipe! The consumer culture is about gratification and security. The rich man in today's gospel story is very satisfied because he has had a huge harvest and has built additional storage to hold it. He considers this his security, his safety net. He is under the illusion that this will keep him alive for a long time to come. God has other plans!
In the Gospel of Luke there is a steady theme warning about the dangers of material wealth. One of these dangers is the desire for more and more possessions as a way of protecting oneself. The Gospel of Luke encourages those who are well off not to hoard their wealth but rather to share it generously. One need only read the story of the Rich Man and Lazarus. The illusion that our life depends on what we own is disproved everyday but it is a hard lesson to learn. We are cheallenged today to ask ourselves, "What makes me feel secure?" "What is 'life-giving to me?" Then we should take a firm and realistic view of the answer. If it doesn't include our faith in God, maybe we better reconsider! AMEN