A man in the crowd wants Jesus to settle an inheritance quarrel. Jesus answers with a story about a bumper harvest and a night nobody planned for. Real wealth is not what we keep but what we give away.
Lord, you see my storehouses and my savings.
You also see the hunger no harvest can feed.
Free me from the urge to always want more.
Teach me to number my days wisely.
Jesus, you refuse to be judge of our quarrels.
Yet you warn us against every kind of greed.
Loosen the grip of a greed that calls itself prudence.
Make me free in the presence of things.
Father, when I tell my soul to rest and be merry,
remind me of the poor waiting at my gate.
What I hold is not only mine.
Let it become bread for sharing.
Holy Spirit, teacher of wisdom,
make us rich toward God:
rich in forgiveness, in time given, in good deeds,
treasures no night can steal.
I place my life in your hands, Lord.
Let each evening be a small account of love.
When you come to ask for my life, find my hands open.
Amen.
Explanation
In the Gospel of Luke (12:13-21), a man in the crowd asks Jesus to tell his brother to share the inheritance with him. Jesus declines to act as arbiter and warns against every form of greed, for life does not depend on possessions. He tells of a rich man whose land yields a great harvest and who plans bigger barns so he can enjoy life. God says to him: «You fool, this very night your life will be demanded of you». So it is with those who store up for themselves but are not rich toward God.
Practical Applications for Daily Life
- Take stock: List what you own and spot what you do not really need.
- Give something today: Bring an item or an offering to someone in need, without waiting for a surplus.
- Set a limit: Skip one unnecessary purchase and send that sum to a charity.
- Gift your time: Call someone who is lonely: time given is a treasure that never rots.
- Examine your evening: Before sleep ask yourself: what did I grow rich in before God today?
Questions for Personal or Group Reflection
- What truly gives me security: my possessions or God?
- Which barns am I building that I do not need?
- With whom do I share what I have received?
- What would I do today if this were my last night?
- Which treasures do I want to be rich in before God?