REFLECTIONS TODAY

The “fool” (Greek aphron) is not so much a person who is deficient in learning as someone wanting in wise and understanding heart that is attuned to God. He lives only for himself. The psalmist says, “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God.’ Their deeds are loathsome and corrupt; not one does what is good” (Ps 14:1). In today’s Gospel, a rich man is called a “fool” because while he is intelligent enough to have many good things stored, he is actually foolish, being poor in what matters to God. Storing up “treasures in heaven” or “what matters to God” does not mean setting out to make sure of a place in heaven. It means relying on God as the source of our security. It means having a genuine and sincere relation with God who knows us, accepts us, and gives meaning to our lives. It means having God as the singular object of our “heart.” We are totally committed to seeking out God’s Kingdom, confident that God will provide us with what we truly need (Mt 6:33). If we have the Lord as our “treasure,” then there is nothing more we need desire. We can forego anything else.

First Reading • Rom 4:20-25 
Brothers and sisters: Abraham did not doubt God’s promise in unbelief; rather, he was empowered by faith and gave glory to God and was fully convinced that what God had promised he was also able to do. That is why it was credited to him as righteousness. But it was not for him alone that it was written that it was credited to him; it was also for us, to whom it will be credited, who believe in the one who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was handed over for our transgressions and was raised for our justification.

Gospel • Lk 12:13-21 
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.”

Source: “365 Days with the Lord 2023,” St. Paul’s, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 632-895-9701; Fax 632-895-7328; E-mail: [email protected]; Website: http://www.stpauls.ph.