In this week’s Gospel, Jesus is approached by someone seeking help with a family inheritance dispute. Instead of addressing the financial concern directly, Jesus offers a parable that shifts the conversation toward a deeper spiritual truth. He tells the story of a rich man whose land produced abundantly. Rather than using his surplus to help others or to express gratitude to God, the man plans to store up his wealth and “relax, eat, drink, be merry.” But God calls him a fool, for that very night his life will be demanded of him.
Jesus challenges the common assumptions that making a living or one’s life consists in one’s possessions: putting goods in place of God. This parable warns against the illusion of security that wealth can bring. The rich man is not condemned for being successful or having plenty, but for placing his trust in possessions rather than in God. His life became centred around storing things instead of storing grace. His wealth, rather than being a means to serve others or give thanks, became an idol.
This teaching is profoundly relevant today, as society often equates success with material accumulation. We can so easily be drawn into believing that our worth is measured by what we own, or that a full life depends on financial comfort. Jesus’ words invite us to re-examine our priorities, to become “rich toward God” by cultivating generosity, gratitude, and trust in divine providence.
True wealth is not found in barns, bank accounts, or achievements—it is found in relationship with God and others. This Gospel reminds us that life is fragile and fleeting, and the only treasure that endures is love lived in faith. Let us place God—not goods—at the centre of our lives.
Fr Stephen Berecz
