Thus will it be for all who store up treasure for themselves but are not rich in what matters to God.
Lk 12:13-21
EXEGESIS
Ecclesiastes
The title of the book is Ecclesiastes. Another name for the book is Qoheleth, the author of the book. It belongs to the group of books called the Wisdom Books. There is another book belonging to the Wisdom Books which is called the Book of Sirach. Again the name comes from the author. The book has also another name, Ecclesiasticus. Do not confuse them.
The often repeated word in the reading is vanity. What does it mean? Empty. Worthless. Useless. Qoheleth says that you worked hard to gain property but when you die you can not take it with you. Someone who has not worked for it will enjoy it. So your effort has been empty, worthless, useless. Your effort has been in vain.
Gospel
The gospel for this Sunday offers us three nuggets of wisdom.
- Take care to guard against all greed.
- Though one may be rich, one’s life does not consist of possessions.
- Thus will it be for all who store up treasure for themselves but are not rich in what matters to God.
CONNECTION BETWEEN FIRST READING AND GOSPEL
Gospel – “You fool, this night your life will be demanded of you; and the things you have prepared, to whom will they belong?”
First reading – “Here is one who has labored with wisdom and knowledge and skill, and yet to another who has not labored over it, he must leave is property. This also is vanity and a great misfortune.”
LESSON: WEALTH
How does the OT look at wealth and poverty?
Wealth is a sign of being blessed by God while poverty is looked upon as punishment from God.
Job, for example, lost his children, wealth and last of all, his health. His friends came to console him. But they also said that he was being punished for his sins. But Job asserted that he knows of no transgressions that would merit punishment. With the Book of Job the belief that poverty and misfortune are punishment for sin is challenged.
What does the NT say about wealth?
Jesus uttered strong words about wealth. He said, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God. It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of the needle than for the rich man to enter the Kingdom of God.”
St. Paul says that the desire for money is the root of all evil.
It is easy to understand these strong statements. Wealth can make people commit evil. The money from quarrying obtained in one year by the provincial government of Pampanga during the tenure of the previous governor is now obtained in only one month. There must have been stealing going on. Wealth can make people commit evil.
Wealth can make even good people forget God. A former seminarian admitted that when he left the seminary money became his concern. He wanted to become rich. But in the process, he put God in the sideline. It was only when he became seriously ill with a life-threatening condition that he realized what happened to him. It was as if when he left the seminary, he also left God behind. He survived the illness and God is once again in his mind. Wealth can make even good people forget God.
Thus will it be for all who store up treasure for themselves but are not rich in what matters to God.
What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear the word ‘treasure’? Probably a wooden chest with gold or jewels inside.
But let us use treasure in this sense: “What is it that you treasure most?” Another way of putting it is: “What is it that you VALUE most?” Or this, “What is most IMPORTANT to you?”
Is money important? Of course it is. I read an article about a girl of elementary-age who got burned when she rescued her 2 younger siblings from their burning hut. They were far away from the town but the mother brought her there medical treatment. The only thing the mother was willing to spend for was first aid. The mother was not being cruel. She said that she also had to think of the other 2 children. Would the mother be faced with this dilemma if she had the money? Is money important? Of course it is.
So what is the problem?
Is God important? Yes. Is your family important? Yes. Are your friends important? Yes. Is your health important? Yes. Are your ethical principles important? Yes. Is money important? Yes.
So what is the problem?
Put money in the number 1 spot. By doing that you’re willing to throw overboard your ethical principles for the sake of money. You’ll be willing to sacrifice your family and friends for the sake of money. You’ll be willing to risk your marriage for the sake of money. Do you now see what the problem is?
It is not that wealth is bad. It is not that wealth is not important. The problem comes when wealth takes number one spot. The problem comes when our priorities in life go wrong.
CONCLUSION
This Sunday God is asking us to do an inventory. First, he is asks us to find out what are the things we value I life. And when that is done, he asks us to examine how we prioritize the things we value in life. In particular he asks us to find out where we have placed wealth in the scheme of things.
What we will discover may surprise us. But more than that, the changes that we may have to make in our life may in the end make us happier and more fulfilled.
Do it then. It’s worth the effort. You’ll see.
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The Salesians of Don Bosco is a religious congregation of priests and brothers dedicated to the welfare of the young. If you feel called by God to give your life for the good of the young, you may want help in discovering if this is really God's will for you. Please get in touch with the Vocation Director (Don Bosco North Province, Philippines) - 0917-7930112 - finvoc@yahoo.com - Bro. MON CALLO SDB.
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