RBWords

    There's an old expression: "There are no pockets in a shroud."  The Book of Job puts it more simply and starker: "Naked I came forth from my mother's womb, and naked shallI go back there.  The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord." [Job 1:21]  The parable of the Rich Fool highlights Jesus' consistent teaching about the dangers of great wealth.  We will see another example in this same gospel in the parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus. [Luke 16:19-31].  In today's parable, it does not seem to have occurred to the Rich Fool that he should share the great surplus of the harvest.  He only thought of building bigger barns to hold it.  In the parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus, the Rich Man (Dives) seemed completely unaware of the poor man, Lazarus, sitting at his doorstep!  Great wealth can have an anesthetizing effect that creates a kind of bubble around the possessor.  

     The disciples were astounded by Jesus' teaching about the dangers of wealth.  They, like most in their society (and now) considered wealth a blessing from God.  However, they also believed that the wealthy had an obligation to share that wealth with those less fortunate.  This is where Dives and the Rich Fool go astray.  However, Jesus pushed the boundaries of their awareness even further in Luke [18:18-23] when he advised the rich young official to sell all he had so that he could follow Jesus unreservedly.  In this case, it is not just the material wealth that is to be shared, but the very person of faith.  How much security does a person need?  The example of St. Francis of Assisi comes to mind.  He is widely admired but not widely imitated by those most in need of imitating him!    How do we respond to Jesus' teaching about the dangers of wealth or great possessions?  AMEN