Then he said to the crowd, “Take care to guard against all greed, for though one may be rich, one’s life does not consist of possessions.”– Luke 12:15

My dad was a collector: Broadway shows on Betamax tapes (look this up!), classical music on cassette tapes, jars of various styles and sizes, figurines, and more. But when he met the Lord, he became less and less attached to what he had. He focused on “collecting” friendships with people of all backgrounds and imparting his love and knowledge about God. He turned from collector to “distributor,” slowly giving away his things to others who’d benefit more. The only thing he kept collecting was money. He mastered the art of fundraising, not for himself, but for those who needed it most.  I sometimes complained about his penchant for giving things away (I loved those Broadway tapes!), but I saw his joy when he saw that others were happy.

When Dad died, he didn’t leave us much, just a few items to remember him by. But he did leave a most important lesson, which is the Gospel today. He left us the example of storing up true treasures in Heaven.

Geraldine G. Catral (ggabrielcatral@gmail.com)

reflect

What things are you holding on to or collecting that could benefit others more? 

Lord, I thank You for the abundance that You supply! Teach me today not to hang on to Your blessings, but to share them with others. I trust that You will continue to provide for me. Amen.  

St. Paul of the Cross, pray for us.

Let us learn from Abraham’s trust in God, as this is our biggest connection with him. The circumstances of Abraham’s life are beyond our experience, but his need for trust and faith is also at the heart of our calling. Abraham believed in God’s promises, even when they seemed ridiculous from a logical point of view. God’s love defies human logic; that is, His love is the final arbiter of His commitment to us.

²⁰ Brothers and sisters: Abraham did not doubt God’s promise in unbelief; rather, he was empowered by faith and gave glory to God ²¹ and was fully convinced that what he had promised he was also able to do. ²² That is why it was credited to him as righteousness. 23 But it was not for him alone that it was written that it was credited to him; ²⁴ it was also for us, to whom it will be credited, who believe in the one who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, ²⁵ who was handed over for our transgressions and was raised for our justification. 

Responsorial Psalm | Luke 1:68-69, 70-72, 73-75

R: Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; he has come to his people.

⁶⁸ He has come to his people and set them free. 69 He has raised up for us a mighty savior, born of the house of his servant David. (R) ⁷⁰ Through his holy prophets he promised of old ⁷¹ that he would save us from our enemies, from the hand of all who hate us. ⁷² He promised to show mercy to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant. (R) ⁷³ This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham: ⁷⁴ to set  us free from the hand of enemies, free to worship him without fear, ⁷⁵ holy and righteous in his sight all the days of our life. (R)

Gospel | Luke 12:13-21

Material wealth passes. Our lives are limited realities from the point of view of our earthly existence. What is the point of having all the wealth in the world if we will be eternally separated from God? Our life on earth is an opportunity to have a relationship with God, and thus, it is the beginning of our journey that leads to eternal life. Attachment to the ways and things of the world hinders this spiritual journey. Material things may be good and pleasurable, but if they take over our lives, they will lead us to damnation and not salvation.

Gospel Acclamation 

Blessed are the poor in spirit; for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven. 

¹³ Someone in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, tell my brother to share the inheritance with me.” ¹⁴ He replied to him, “Friend, who appointed me as your judge and arbitrator?” ¹⁵ Then he said to the crowd, “Take care to guard against all greed, for though one may be rich, one’s life does not consist of possessions.” ¹⁶ Then he told them a parable. “There was a rich man whose land produced a bountiful harvest. ¹⁷ He asked himself, ‘What shall I do, for I do not have space to store my harvest?’ ¹⁸ And he said, “This is what I shall do: I shall tear down my barns and build larger ones. There I shall store all my grain and other goods ¹⁹ and I shall say to myself, ‘Now as for you, you have so many good things stored up for many years, rest, eat, drink, be merry!’ ²⁰ 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?’ ²¹ Thus will it be for the one who stores up treasure for himself but is not rich in what matters to God.”

Reflect:

What are the worldly attachments you find difficult to let go of? Why?

Read the Bible in one year! Read ZECHARIAH 1 - 4 today.

It almost sounded like an order, not a request for help: “Tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” The Lord did not answer him directly, but got back to him with a question: “Who appointed me a judge, or a divider, over you?”

This particular point in today’s Gospel passage reminds me of what a counselor ought to be. Too bad in the Philippine setting, many think that counselors are there to solve other people’s problems. In many cases, Pinoys are not really looking for counsel but for what in Tagalog we call “payo,” which connotes wise, well-chosen words that are taken to be directives designed to solve the client’s problems. In this mentality, the burden lies on the counselor, not on the counselee. 

The Lord turns to the multitudes and does a privileged teaching moment. It was as direct as it was truthful: “Watch out! Protect yourself from every form of greed! No one’s life is based on an abundance of possessions.” It was a valid reminder—both for the man with a plea as well as for his brother.

But what struck me as a counselor myself was the first part of the Lord’s answer that came as a question. He obviously was not one to be co-opted into solving the man’s problem. The man’s request is tantamount to a prayer for help. 

The Lord heard the man’s prayer. And His answer was valid for both him and his brother—valid then for the two, and valid now for each and every one of us.

In prayer, we, too, express our concerns before God. But the key to the solution lies from within.

Fr. Chito Dimaranan, SDB

Reflection questions

What concerns do you currently have? Have you brought them before the Lord? Have you searched for His answer deep within you?

May I always have the courage, Lord, to listen to Your voice that speaks within me. Amen.

Today, I pray for: ___________________________________________