True Wealth as True Blessing

18^th Sunday in Ordinary Time

August 4, 2013

Luke 12:13-21

Becoming rich is a blessing. Ancient Jewish people believe that richness is God’s reward to His loyal servants. Some biblical characters are living evident to this truth: faithful Abraham received the Promised Land, generous Joseph assumed a high-ranking position in Egypt and Job get back his fortune after he was proven faithful in severe trials.

How about Jesus? Poor though He was, Jesus accepted well-off guys in His companies. James and John traditionally considered being heirs of fishing company’s owner (Mat 4:21). Joseph of Arimathea must be fairly wealthy to donate his new burial site just outside Jerusalem (Mat 27:60).

However, Jesus sternly reminded his followers that wealth may turn to be a devastating curse if we lose sight of its true nature as God’s gift. Failure to see God’s providence behind these material processions leads us only to selfishness and this self-seeking ambition bears nothing but greed. St. Paul condemned the love of money as the root of all evils (1 Tim 6:10). Money itself is not the cause of evil, but the irregular attachment to it. We forget that our love has to be oriented toward He who is the source of all richness, not on this richness itself. The excessive yearning for money only gives birth to dishonest competition, stealing, and corruption.

Knowing that richness is coming from God, why do people still crave for it then? Simple! Money feeds us with instant pleasure and immediate security of life. Name it, and you have it: latest gadgets, sport cars, luxurious mansion, political power, sexual indulgence and of course, more money. It can almost buy everything, as if everything, including human persons, has a price tag hanging in their necks. Yet, fortunately, not everything can become a business commodity. Almost! Try to ask British pop singer, Jessie J, and she rightly would sing, “Money can’t buy us happiness…it’s not about the money, money, money.”

In today’s Gospel, Jesus tumbled His followers’ perspective. We might sweat to make a living and be tempted to think, “This is mine; I deserve it!” Yet, we may lose the whole point, when we are too busy making a living and fall short to make and appreciate life. Every possession that falls to our palms is God’s grace and mercy. Thus, every time we see what we hold in our hands, we are to gaze God’s utter generosity. Naturally, gratitude ensues from our heart and thanksgiving bears fruits another generous heart in us. Fear of sharing our belongings is beyond seeing because what we see is only God, our true wealth. Every time we give up what we possess, we open with our arms and receive God all the more.

Don’t be greedy! Be generous as your Father in Heaven is generous.

Br. Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP