October 17, 2022 – Luke 12:13-21
Today’s topic from the Gospel of Luke concerns the perennial question of money, or rather, the love of money.
The narrative begins with a question from a man in the crowd who addresses Jesus as a Rabbi, asking him to be the judge with respect to a matter of inheritance: “Teacher, tell my brother to share the inheritance with me” (Luke 12:13).
The Torah provided that upon the death of the parents, so as not to disperse the family estate, two-thirds of the inheritance should go to the eldest son, who would assume the obligation of supporting the widow and unmarried sisters (Deut. 21:17. cf. 2Rs. 2:11).
Christ does not get involved in such a request, because the question put to him is tied to criteria he cannot accept.
Jesus’ answer makes it clear, in fact, that he does not follow the
criteria of justice proper to men, which inevitably lead to divisions and strife, but instead, he came to preach God’s justice, which is capable of reuniting and overcoming divisions.
It is then a question of asking to whom the goods of this earth belong: for the believer everything belongs to God who gives it as an inheritance to all men. Hence Christ’s call, “Take heed and keep yourselves from all covetousness, for although one is in abundance, his life does not depend on what he possesses.”
Jesus’ teaching gives a rule that is one of the basic pillars: the value of life is not measured and does not depend in any way on the possessions a man possesses.
Life messages
– God asks us to account for how we have decided to live our lives, and in the passage in this Gospel, the folly of this man’s choices is highlighted; he has not been able to build anything in his life that remains.
– He cannot take anything of such abundance with him. He has lived as a fool because he has forgotten that our life has an end and that our days have an end.
– St. Paul writes repeatedly, we should be able to say, “We boast even in tribulation, knowing full well that tribulation produces patience, patience a tried virtue, and tried virtue hope.” And it is a hope that does not disappoint.
Fr Joby Kavungal RCJ
San Lorenzo Parish, TREZZANO SUL NAVIGLIO – MILAN