Daily Reflection – Oct 19, 2015
Monday 19 October 2015
First Reading: Romans 4:20-25
Psalm Response:
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; he has come to his people
Luke 1:69-75 (with 68)
Gospel Reading: Luke 12:13-21
Today’s Saint: St John de Brébeuf and St Isaac Jogues, Priests, Martyrs and Companions (Memorial)
Gospel Reading:
Someone in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, tell my brother to share the inheritance with me.” He replied to him, “Friend, who appointed Me as your judge and arbitrator?”
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.”
Then he told them a parable. “There was a rich man whose land produced a bountiful harvest. He asked himself, ‘What shall I do, for I do not have space to store my harvest?’ 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 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!”’
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?’ Thus will it be for the one who stores up treasure for himself but is not rich in what matters to God.”
Reflection:
While Luke sees Jesus’ crucifixion as a prophet dying for justice, Paul understands it in cosmic terms: “handed over to death for our trespasses and was raised for our justification.” In another place (2 Cor ) Paul states that Jesus even became sin.
Looking back, long after the resurrection, the first community was trying to make sense of this tragedy. Jesus in today’s gospel is more practical: “Be on guard against all kinds of greed”. He then tells the story of the man who built more barns and God says, “You fool!”
Ask God to show you if there is any area in your life where God might say “You fool!” to you. Be still. Listen. God’s voice may be strong, but also full of love. Ask for the courage to change if you hear something. “All kinds of greed.” What greed grabs you? What do you really want? Try to offer it to God to dispose of it according to God’s will.
“Take, receive all I have and possess. You have given all to me. Now I return it. Dispose of it according to your will. Give me only your love and your grace. That is enough.”
