Parable of the Rich Fool

Today's Reflections

                                                                          

                                                                          

Parable of the Rich Fool

Lk 12:13-21

13Someone in the crowd said to [Jesus], “Teacher, tell my brother to share the inheritance with me.” 14He replied to him, “Friend, who appointed me as your judge and arbitrator?” 15Then 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.”

16Then he told them a parable. “There was a rich man whose land produced a bountiful harvest. 17He asked himself, ‘What shall I do, for I do not have space to store my harvest?’ 18And 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 19and 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!” ’ 20But 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?’ 21Thus will it be for the one who stores up treasure for himself but is not rich in what matters to God.”

YOU FOOL. Progress in science and technology places great emphasis on development, which is usually equated with reduced population or fewer people to feed. Developing countries like the Philippines are pressured to reduce their population growth, through artificial means of birth control and even abortion, if they aspire to attain the status of developed countries.

While this thesis has some truth to it, it fails to confront the issue. The real problem in development is injustice, greed, and graft and corruption.

In the Gospel, Jesus is asked to arbitrate at a quarrel over inheritance. He replies by warning people against all forms of greed. He tells the parable of a rich man who accumulates riches only for his selfish satisfaction, with no thought or concern for others. Jesus calls the man a fool because at death he will have to leave all his wealth behind. In fact, as in the case presented before Jesus, riches are the source of quarrels and feuds among family members.

Jesus recommends instead storing up treasures in heaven and becoming rich in what matters to God.

How do you store up treasures in heaven

and become rich in what matters to God?