From the Sunday Note, with additional thoughts…
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.”
Sunday’s Gospel, Luke 12:13-21
Well, who did appoint Jesus a “judge and arbitrator?” His Father, of course, —but not for civil cases in Judea of A.D. 30, so Jesus turns down the man’s request. But in a larger sense he left the question hanging there… .
Then he turns to the crowd and invites them to consider an element related to the Last Judgment: greed, riches, and what counts in life. He draws from teachings not taken directly from the Law, but from what is called “the Wisdom tradition.” All the peoples of the Ancient Near East accumulated historical records tracing themselves from mythical beginnings. They all evolved legal codes, verbal then written. And prophets prophesying were an organized phenomenon in all the kingly courts. (And, as well, there were prophets we might describe as “independent operators.”) All these peoples/countries also produced and memorized traditions of wisdom that gave guidance for practical, day-to-day living. Our Scriptural books of Job, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Sirach, and Wisdom most clearly represent the wisdom tradition in Israel’s life.
The roots of Jesus’ parable are found in Proverbs 27:1 “Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what any day may bring forth.” This obviously could apply to many things—military prowess or success in a contest, for instance.
Centuries later, much closer to Christ’s time, Sirach teaches this: “When they say, ‘I have found rest, now I will feast on my goods.’ They do not know how long it will be till they die and leave them to others.” (11:19) and “Do not say, ‘I am self-sufficient. What harm can come to me now?’” (11:24)
Jesus, though, is not simply warning the few fortunate rich among his hearers. He is speaking to all of us about our need to become “rich in what matters to God.” What our world chases is good food and a well-dressed longer life-span—a chase filled with worry, worry, worry. What will give me the longer lifespan? What is the “in-crowd” I want to blend in with wearing these days? What “lifestyle,” what exercises, supplements, etc. will help me live longer? A few verses beyond our gospel Jesus explains: “All the nations of the world seek for these things, and your Father knows you that you need them. Instead, seek his kingdom and these other things will be given you as well. Do not be afraid any longer, little flock….” (vv.30-32a) Oh, we are cool, we are calm—but a lot of that, if honestly faced, is covering fear and worry. If we give up what is behind our worry and fear, what does Christ call us to replace it with? “Give alms.” (v. 33)
Alms. Give alms. We are to turn our minds away from ourselves and use our concern for the really hungry, those really short of food, shelter, and clothing. Or those short on human contact and who perhaps simply need to talk to another person. Or who can’t drive themselves to the dentist or doctor. Or…there are ways beyond ways to serve. There are needs along every block. We won’t be able or ready to serve every single kind of need we see—pray and be open to guidance.
That’s the way our treasure builds in our Father’s house. You’ve heard of that house—our permanent dwelling place, no matter how slowly or quickly our time here comes to its absolutely certain conclusion.
For further reflection:
Jesus, in other words, asks us to look at the Big Picture over the Long Term. It is easier to stay on the “right path” if we have a clear idea of where we want to end up. Small deviations in direction today or next day matter much less than keeping the ultimate goal in sight. With the goal in sight, it is easier to make course corrections and get back on the right road. If we do not have a clear idea of the goal, we can wander about and around and end up somewhere we do not want to be.