Jul

(XVIII Sunday — C) The Rich Fool (Luke 12:13-21)

Scholars have noted the social concern in Luke’s gospel. They have seen it in the way Luke modifies materials he holds in common with Matthew (Q) and the special materials he incorporates into his gospel. One of these latter materials is the Parable of the Rich Fool. Luke incorporates it into his narrative as part of Jesus’ teachings while on the way to Jerusalem. Someone asks the Lord to arbitrate in a question of inheritance; the request becomes the occassion for a lesson on greed and wealth.

Relevant Articles

Guide to the Reading of Luke 12:13-21

1. Luke 12:13-21 can be divided into two parts: (a) vv. 13-15 introduces the parable of the rich fool, and (b) vv. 16-21, "the Parable of the Rich Fool" itself. The request of "someone" in the crowd gives the Lord an opportunity to say something about wealth and riches. But he does it in a way that sets up human aspirations within the context of the limitations of human existence that Death has established: "You fool, tonight, you will die; what will happen to the things you’ve been storing up?"

2. The main content is to be found in the teaching about greed and wealth in vv. 16-21. It is couched in a parable about a rich man who accumulates wealth. He is a fool not because he has become wealthy, but because he has "stored up treasure" for himself has not been "rich unto God" (v. 21). The idea in "store up treasure for oneself" is synonimous to "not being rich unto God." Both are in contrast to "store up treasure in heaven". Read 12:33 and 18:22.

Review of the Readings

The reading from Luke 12:13-21 about the accumulation of wealth is in a way related to the first reading from Qoheleth. "All is vanity", the philosopher declares, and his statement extends even to wealth and riches, especially when seen in the light of human mortality. The responsorial psalm is the prayer of one who has served the Lord all his life and is now facing the prospect of death. The responsory is taken from another psalm though, Psalm 95 which is an invitation not to content with the Lord as the Israelites did in the wilderness. "Today if you hear His voice, harden not your hearts". Seen from the perspective of the first reading and the Gospel, the psalm invites us to reconsider the way we relate to wealth.

The second reading from Colossians 3:1-11, in a way emphasizes the kind of hope the Christian sets on. Paul tells the Colossians to set their minds where Christ is. "Seek what is above", he writes, "not what is earthly." The Christian’s existence has undergone a serious upgrade making him a sharer in divine life and therefore he should no longer think nor desire nor love as if he were only of the earth. Alluding to the baptismal ritual where the newly baptized put off their clothes to put on the new robe, Paul says:

you have taken off the old self with its practices
and have put on the new self,
which is being renewed, for knowledge,
in the image of its creator.

The Christian then is to live according to this new and better upgraded existence and should no longer revert to his old life. Seen in relation to the first reading and the Gospel, Paul invites us to put our hearts where the treasure does not pass away.

Suggestions for the Lesson

1. The Christian life is an ongoing preparation for death. "We have died with Christ", Paul would say, and our deaths should become the conclusion of those moments when we died to ourselves so that we can truly live according to our new life with Christ.

2. The parable of the rich fool is about greed and the accumulation of wealth. One can use the gospel reading as a launch pad for explaining one of the principles of the Church’s social doctrines: the universal destination of goods. One can also use it following sapiential themes. The opposite of accumulation of wealth — storing treasures for oneself and not being rich towards God — is storing up treasure in heaven. In Luke’s gospel, storing up treasure in heaven is related to giving up one’s riches and giving them to the poor (see Luke 18:22).

Luke 12:13-21
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13And one of the multitude said to him: Master, speak to my brother that he divide the inheritance with me.

14But he said to him: Man, who hath appointed me judge, or divider, over you?

15And he said to them: Take heed and beware of all covetousness; for a man's life doth not consist in the abundance of things which he possesseth.

16And he spoke a similitude to them, saying: The land of a certain rich man brought forth plenty of fruits.

17And he thought within himself, saying: What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?

18And he said: This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and will build greater; and into them will I gather all things that are grown to me, and my goods.

19And I will say to my soul: Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years take thy rest; eat, drink, make good cheer.

20But God said to him: Thou fool, this night do they require thy soul of thee: and whose shall those things be which thou hast provided?

21So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich towards God.

Colossians 3:1-17
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1Therefore, if you be risen with Christ, seek the things that are above; where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God:

2Mind the things that are above, not the things that are upon the earth.

3For you are dead; and your life is hid with Christ in God.

4When Christ shall appear, who is your life, then you also shall appear with him in glory.

5Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, lust, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is the service of idols.

6For which things the wrath of God cometh upon the children of unbelief,

7In which you also walked some time, when you lived in them.

8But now put you also all away: anger, indignation, malice, blasphemy, filthy speech out of your mouth.

9Lie not one to another: stripping yourselves of the old man with his deeds,

10And putting on the new, him who is renewed unto knowledge, according to the image of him that created him.

11Where there is neither Gentile nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian nor Scythian, bond nor free. But Christ is all, and in all.

12Put ye on therefore, as the elect of God, holy, and beloved, the bowels of mercy, benignity, humility, modesty, patience:

13Bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if any have a complaint against another: even as the Lord hath forgiven you, so do you also.

14But above all these things have charity, which is the bond of perfection:

15And let the peace of Christ rejoice in your hearts, wherein also you are called in one body: and be ye thankful.

16Let the word of Christ dwell in you abundantly, in all wisdom: teaching and admonishing one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual canticles, singing in grace in your hearts to God.

17All whatsoever you do in word or in work, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

Colossians 3:1-11
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