Daily Scripture Reflection & Prayer: October 23, 2023

Date in the Ordine: Monday of the 29th Week in Ordinary Time

Scripture Text: Luke 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."

Breaking the text open – background and summary:

The gospel reading for today gives us one of Jesus’ teachings concerning true wealth as recounted in the Gospel of Luke. Jesus does not say that wealth is evil; Jesus says that in the grand scheme of our lives, it will not matter because as we say today, “You can’t take it with you.” Jesus did, however, tell us that greed is to be avoided because it is evil. Jesus uses this moment to remind those listening that we are think in terms of what matters to our LORD which always comes back to loving relationships with our LORD and with one another.

Meditating on the text with personal questions:

Are my choices and my goals centered on strengthening my relationships with the LORD, with others, even with myself? Or are they centered on winning, gaining, amassing, and impressing?

Praying:

LORD, Almighty Father, Beloved Son, Most Holy Spirit, always and everywhere your power and presence, manifestations of your great love, reveal to us “the Way and the Truth and the Life.” We long for life with You. We know that it comes from You, Father, through You, our Savior, and in You, Spirit. Help us to grasp not only with our minds but also our hearts and wills the necessity of love for the journey: love for You, love for one another, and love for ourselves, your daughters and sons, your disciples. Grant that we may seek love well all the days of our lives here so that we might be with You for eternity. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.