1. 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 all who store up treasure for themselves
but are not rich in what matters to God.” LK 12:13-21
Father John’s Homily Sunday morning made me more aware of the point Jesus was trying to make to the crowd about greed. His answer to sharing the inheritance is not pleasing to the one who asked. I’m sure he was expecting Jesus to tell his brother that is proper to provide what is due him. The son doesn't seem to have any concern for the departed father, only the importance of the property.
In the parable, the word “I” is repeated six times. The word “my” is repeated three times. There is no sharing, no thought of other, just self. Possession of food and drink built into a personal treasure. Jesus wants the crowd to know and understand the importance of the sinfulness of greed. The parable provides the lesson; if they choose to listen.
Bushy Run by Don Troiani |
Hiawatha Belt by Ken Maracle, Cayuga Indian, 2006 |
Northern Iroquoian Nations 1615 by Jennifer Birch |
6. This is a fruit bowl that was at a baby shower Dee attended last weekend.
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Love the beer commercial!
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