July 31, 2022
Luke 12: 13-21
Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time – Sister Geraldine Bolzan, SNDdeN
GOSPEL REFLECTION: SUNDAY, JULY 31, 2022
Today’s First Reading speaks of the person who: “even in the night, his mind does not rest.” Do you have nights life that? What are the things which keep you awake? Is it concern for a loved one who is ill or when facing a serious financial crisis? Or, a major project which you have undertaken that may not be going as expected? Or perhaps, as the man in the Gospel, is it concern for building “bigger barns” to store the abundant harvest – sadly, for so many in our world today, it is more likely how/ where to get enough food to feed ones family. The contrast between the poor and wealthy grows greater day by day.
Do I know what my real wealth is? Are they the things and/or concerns that keep me awake at night? Are these things really worth fretting over? Or, can I remember the words of the Psalmist: “O Lord, you have been our refuge from generation to generation. Teach us to number our days that we may gain wisdom of heart.”
Jesus rejects the role of arbitrator in the dispute of the man with his brother, but shifts the focus to an understanding of what is real wealth through the parable. Jesus is inviting me/us to become “rich towards God.” A person’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions. “ Let us say rather: “ O Lord, you have been our refuge from generation to generation…”
We pray for that wisdom of heart that the Psalmist speaks of: “Let the favour of the Lord, our God be upon us’ give success to the work of our hands. Let us, with God’s grace, strive to be rich towards God and to seek the things that are above.
Luke 12: 13-21
Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” Jesus replied, “Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?”
Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” And he told them this parable:
“The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop. 17He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’ “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.” ‘
“But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’
“This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
The Gospel of the Lord.
Meet Sister Geraldine (Gerry) Bolzan, SNDdeN
