Word to the Wise
Monday, October 22, 2018 - Monday in the 29th Week in Ordinary Time
[Eph 2:1-10 and Luke 12:13-21]MONDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2018. MONDAY IN THE TWENTY-NINTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME [St. John Paul II] [Ephesians 2:1-10 and Luke 12:13-21] “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 the one who stores up treasure for himself but is not rich in what matters to God.” [Luke] The Gospel According to Luke shows an emphasis on the teachings of Jesus that relate to the dangers of material wealth. The story of the Rich Fool and the story of the Rich Man and Lazarus are both found only in Luke. The passage today is about the Rich Fool and it is followed by echoes from the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew on worries about material things. The last line of those verses (22-34) is a warning, “For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.” In the parable of the Rich Fool, a man chooses to hoard his wealth instead of sharing it with those less fortunate. His attitude is summed up in his thought, “Now as for you, you have so many good things stored up for many years, rest, eat, drink, be merry!” God says, “You fool, this night your life will be demanded of you; and the things you have prepared, to whom will they belong.” I am presently at a retreat house down in Palm Beach, FL. It is located by a waterway in which are anchored some very impressive yachts. There is no better way to display wealth than a big yacht. Along the waterway are condominium towers. A sign outside of construction of a new tower says the new units will sell for prices beginning “in the 900’s” - meaning thousands! There is considerable wealth on display. Also on display is the considerable misery of at least half the world’s population. But that display is not evident in this location, which can act as an insulating factor. The gospel line, “For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be” strikes to the essence of our notions of what security really means. What we regard as treasure may tell us a lot about our heart and whether or not that heart is “rich in what matters to God.” AMEN
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