There comes a time in everyone’s life when we will take our last breath, leaving behind all our worldly goods. We came into the world owning nothing and we will leave the world owning nothing. On the day of our funeral, we might arrive here in a hearse for the last time, but no U-Haul trailer will be attached to it.
While teaching, a distraught person interrupted Jesus and pleaded, “Teacher, tell my brother to share the inheritance with me.” Instead of acting as a judge, Jesus cautions his listeners, “Take care to guard against all greed for though one may be rich, one’s life does not consist of possessions.” He then shared a parable unique to Luke’s gospel about a rich farmer whom God calls a fool. Jesus didn’t criticize the farmer for being wealthy. That man had worked hard to reap an abundant harvest so he could enjoy his retirement, so why did God call him a fool? His priorities were skewed.
His wealth wasn’t the issue. What mattered is how he handled his assets. He wasn’t generous with his goods. He hoarded all that he had instead of sharing some of it with others. After bragging about how well off he was, which reveals his self-centeredness, God harshly interjects, “You fool, this night your life will be demanded of you; and the things you have prepared, to whom will they belong?” By the way, this is the only parable in which God speaks up.
I don’t know about you, but I am a fool. While I don’t have barns filled with grains, I do own much more than I need and I need to downsize my goods. The gospel brings to mind a line I heard years ago, “What do I own and what owns me?” For too long, I ignored the advice Jesus gives, not realizing how much my possessions owned me.
Wealth and possessions can maintain our lifestyle but they cannot guarantee our lives. Someday we will take our last breath, no matter how rich we are materially. Will God call us fools for what we have done with our assets?
How can we avoid being called fools? I have a few suggestions worth considering. First, share your bounty with those who are less fortunate than you are. Raid your pantry and donate something to our 3 P’s bins. When you come to Mass, bring a protein product, a personal hygiene product, or a paper product that will be donated to Good Cheer.
Second, tithe. The Bible urges us to give ten percent to charity and to your parish. That is one dime for every dollar you earn. Think of how generous God has been to you. Tithing is our means of thanking God.
Third, compare your giving to charity with your other spending habits, such as the money spent on entertainment, dining out, grooming, hobbies, clothes and so on. How does what you put in the collection basket compare to what you casually spend when you eat out?
Fourth, go through your closet and drawers from time to time and consider giving away clothes and shoes that you haven’t worn in over a year.
Fifth, form the habit of asking yourself, “Do I really need that? Can I do without it? Some of us buy much more than we need or can use, so while our barns are not overflowing with grains, we rent storage units to hide our excess. The rise of inflation prompts some of us to curb our spending.
Sayings that advise against greed abound in the Bible as well as in other ancient literature. Greed has been a human problem many have struggled with since the start of history. Listed as one of the seven capital sins, greed is an inordinate longing for material wealth while disregarding the needs and rights of others. The antidote for this capital sin is self-giving, which helps us to grow rich in the sight of God. What matters to God are not our assets, but our attitude. Are we grateful and generous?
All three readings are about detachment from the things of this passing world, things we can’t take with us. The rich man in the parable acted as though he was going to live forever. He failed to realize that what counts when we stand before God is not our wealth or assets but the person we become in the process of living this life. Greed cut him off from God and others.
If you think this parable doesn’t apply to you because you aren’t rich, keep in mind that Jesus was teaching people who were likely poorer than us. Greed can plague anyone of us. After all, one of the first words we learned to speak is “mine!”
We are called to share what we have, trusting that God will provide us with what is really matters in life: love.
As I said, the man in the parable wasn’t rebuked for being rich. He made the mistake of keeping it all for himself, building new barns to hoard his abundant crops to live well. If only he had stop to ponder, “Do I need all this? Not really. I ought to share my surplus with others.” Then God would have said, “Well done, good and faithful servant! Now you are rich in what really matters.”