Today’s Reflection
Gospel: Lk 12: 39-48
October  23, 2023 | Monday

Today’s Gospel

Someone in the crowd spoke to Jesus, “Master, tell my brother to share with me the family inheritance.” He replied, “My friend, who has appointed me as your judge or your attorney?” Then Jesus said to the people, “Be on your guard and avoid every kind of greed, for even though you have many possessions, it is not that which gives you life.”

And Jesus continued, “There was a rich man, and his land had produced a good harvest. He thought, ‘What shall I do, for I am short of room to store my harvest? Alright, I know what I shall do: I will pull down my barns and I will build bigger ones, to store all this grain, which is my wealth. Then I will say to myself: My friend, you have a lot of good things put by for many years. Rest, eat, drink and enjoy yourself.’ But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be taken from you. Tell me, who shall get all you have put aside?’ This is a lot of the one who stores up riches for himself and is not wealthy in the eyes of God.”

Today’s Reflection:

 In today’s Gospel, Jesus reminded His disciples about greed. Possessions do not give life. The Lord then continued with a parable that emphasized the importance of neither one’s wealth nor attitude towards the poor, but he talked about the greediness of the rich man. The rich man has forgotten the source of life. It is not his immeasurable riches that secure His future, but God. Jesus then told the people to store treasures in heaven.

Possessions and riches here on earth may distract us from receiving heavenly riches. We may have invested most of our time and talent to have a secure future here on earth but failed to prepare for that real future that the Lord promised us. Jesus reminds us to be rich in the eyes of God by doing good deeds here on earth. 

/ Vulnerasti, 2023