Fr. Louis Birabaluge
To become rich is a dream of many if not of all. We live in a world where success seems equal to happiness. But the parable of the rich man gives another perspective: “They are fool those whose life is focused merely on heaping up money or a material legacy. One’s life does not consist in the abundance of possessions, says Jesus in this coming Sunday’s Gospel (Lk 12: 15)”
Apparently, the rich man of the Gospel gained his richness in an honest way. He could be compared to a good businessman of our time who succeeds. His affairs go well. In fact, the Gospel says that his land produced abundantly (Lk 12: 16) Then, why is the rich man called fool?
It has to be noticed that he is not called fool because he is rich. In the Bible, being rich is not a sin. It’s even sometimes seen as God’s blessing. God knows that we need possessions. We need some worldly goods, a place to live and money to live on. And there are many ways to use money responsibly. Someone rich who uses their money to provide worthwhile employment, is doing more than one who claims to believe the Gospel but does nothing for the welfare of others.
Because, being rich is not a sin in itself, so we need to find elsewhere the reasons why the rich man is called fool. His speech gives the key. Listening to him, he seems to be like God. He owners everything. Even his life. But it’s just an illusion. In the parable he believed his future was secure, and that his good fortune was entirely due to his own merits.
It’s incredible to notice how many times he uses “I”. Even without relying on God’s help, humanly speaking, he cannot accomplish himself what he is claiming to do. He may have been a good businessman or a good manager but there should have been people working for him and with him. Why does he not mention them? Because he is self-centered. He is greedy!
Therefore, ignoring his human condition makes him fool. No person is island. We discover our human greatness only in relationship with others. Never alone. We discover our richness only in acknowledging God’s ownership on our lives. Only God is able to say: “This night your life will be demanded of you and things you have prepared, to whom will they belong?” (Lk 12: 20). A common krio collection song here in Freetown says this truth: “Ol u get na dis wol, we yu day yu no go ker am go” Meaning: All you get in this world, when you die you will not carry it!
Again, at the end of his speech, the rich man says: “I will say to my soul, ‘Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.’ (Lk 12: 19). Relax, eat, drink, enjoy…is all about our rich man has been looking for. And what is next? The rich man finds his satisfaction in material things.
By experience, we know that as human beings, we never have enough material goods to be satisfied. Advertisement companies rely on the illusion according which human desires find satisfaction in material goods. For instance, one of the adverts of Coca Cola says: “Drink the last and never thirst again!” What a big lie! If the adverts were true, Coca Cola company would have closed. The fact is that we drink and drink Coca Cola and the thirst remains. That’s why the company flourishes.
Thus, if the rich man of the Gospel was here today, he should have believed the lies of Coca Cola. And that makes him fool again. Human beings need more that merely material goods. The invitation of saint Paul to Colossians is also ours: “seek the things that are above” (Col 3: 1). And what is “above” is more than our possessions. All we need is Love; Love is all we need says a British song. And again, it’s not only the love we receive from others. Human love is limited. And many times selfish!
Only God’s love for us has no limits and unselfish. Being rich in God (Lk 12: 21) is the real richness. It is the richness that never ends. Otherwise, it is “Vanity of vanities!” says the Teacher, “vanity of vanities! All is vanity (Eccl 1: 2). We lay up treasure for ourselves in heaven, not only through loving God, but also by love of neighbour. To play our proper part we must put to death our vices, especially greed which is like worshipping a false god.
Being a Christian means exactly the opposite of the rich man of the Gospel. We are not the master of our lives. God is our Creator and the Judge of our lives. We are steward not owners. We may succeed in life but that success we welcome it as God’s blessing. And once blessed, we are called to be a blessing for others. Christians live not on bread alone but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of God (Mt 4: 4). In the Eucharist Jesus gives us his body and blood. He wants us to be in communion with him, to get eternal life (Jn 6: 40) which more than all earthly enjoyments.
To become rich is a dream of many if not of all. We live in a world where success seems equal to happiness. But the parable of the rich man gives another perspective: “They are fool those whose life is focused merely on heaping up money or a material legacy. One’s life does not consist in the abundance of possessions, says Jesus in this coming Sunday’s Gospel (Lk 12: 15)”
Apparently, the rich man of the Gospel gained his richness in an honest way. He could be compared to a good businessman of our time who succeeds. His affairs go well. In fact, the Gospel says that his land produced abundantly (Lk 12: 16) Then, why is the rich man called fool?
It has to be noticed that he is not called fool because he is rich. In the Bible, being rich is not a sin. It’s even sometimes seen as God’s blessing. God knows that we need possessions. We need some worldly goods, a place to live and money to live on. And there are many ways to use money responsibly. Someone rich who uses their money to provide worthwhile employment, is doing more than one who claims to believe the Gospel but does nothing for the welfare of others.
Because, being rich is not a sin in itself, so we need to find elsewhere the reasons why the rich man is called fool. His speech gives the key. Listening to him, he seems to be like God. He owners everything. Even his life. But it’s just an illusion. In the parable he believed his future was secure, and that his good fortune was entirely due to his own merits.
It’s incredible to notice how many times he uses “I”. Even without relying on God’s help, humanly speaking, he cannot accomplish himself what he is claiming to do. He may have been a good businessman or a good manager but there should have been people working for him and with him. Why does he not mention them? Because he is self-centered. He is greedy!
Therefore, ignoring his human condition makes him fool. No person is island. We discover our human greatness only in relationship with others. Never alone. We discover our richness only in acknowledging God’s ownership on our lives. Only God is able to say: “This night your life will be demanded of you and things you have prepared, to whom will they belong?” (Lk 12: 20). A common krio collection song here in Freetown says this truth: “Ol u get na dis wol, we yu day yu no go ker am go” Meaning: All you get in this world, when you die you will not carry it!
Again, at the end of his speech, the rich man says: “I will say to my soul, ‘Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.’ (Lk 12: 19). Relax, eat, drink, enjoy…is all about our rich man has been looking for. And what is next? The rich man finds his satisfaction in material things.
By experience, we know that as human beings, we never have enough material goods to be satisfied. Advertisement companies rely on the illusion according which human desires find satisfaction in material goods. For instance, one of the adverts of Coca Cola says: “Drink the last and never thirst again!” What a big lie! If the adverts were true, Coca Cola company would have closed. The fact is that we drink and drink Coca Cola and the thirst remains. That’s why the company flourishes.
Thus, if the rich man of the Gospel was here today, he should have believed the lies of Coca Cola. And that makes him fool again. Human beings need more that merely material goods. The invitation of saint Paul to Colossians is also ours: “seek the things that are above” (Col 3: 1). And what is “above” is more than our possessions. All we need is Love; Love is all we need says a British song. And again, it’s not only the love we receive from others. Human love is limited. And many times selfish!
Only God’s love for us has no limits and unselfish. Being rich in God (Lk 12: 21) is the real richness. It is the richness that never ends. Otherwise, it is “Vanity of vanities!” says the Teacher, “vanity of vanities! All is vanity (Eccl 1: 2). We lay up treasure for ourselves in heaven, not only through loving God, but also by love of neighbour. To play our proper part we must put to death our vices, especially greed which is like worshipping a false god.
Being a Christian means exactly the opposite of the rich man of the Gospel. We are not the master of our lives. God is our Creator and the Judge of our lives. We are steward not owners. We may succeed in life but that success we welcome it as God’s blessing. And once blessed, we are called to be a blessing for others. Christians live not on bread alone but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of God (Mt 4: 4). In the Eucharist Jesus gives us his body and blood. He wants us to be in communion with him, to get eternal life (Jn 6: 40) which more than all earthly enjoyments.