Monday of the Twenty-ninth Week in Ordinary Time
Or Optional Memorial of Saint Paul of the Cross, Priest [In the Dioceses of the United States]
Luke 12:13-21
Greed Makes You Poor

In today’s Gospel, a man requests Jesus to resolve a dispute over inheritance. While it was usual in Palestine to bring these issues before a rabbi, Jesus chooses not to get involved in disputes over money. Instead, he uses the situation to teach us a lesson: the risks of greed and the real value of wealth.

Jesus tells the parable of the Rich Fool. He had riches, but he was not rich in God’s eyes. This parable teaches us three lessons.

First, share. Poverty is not about having little, but about refusing to give. A person who keeps everything for himself grows poor in heart. True wealth is found in sharing—our resources, our knowledge, even our time. A word of encouragement, a listening ear, a small act of kindness can enrich another’s life and our own.

Second, nothing is certain. Money cannot buy love, friendship, or meaning. I have met people with pockets full of cash but hearts weighed down by loneliness. Possessions come and go, but relationships endure: the love of a child, the companionship of a spouse, the presence of a faithful friend. These are treasures no thief can steal.

Third, be prudent. Life is not about storing things but about living each day well. Some things must never be negotiated: the love of your children, time with family, heartfelt conversations with friends, moments of prayer, the embrace of your parents, even rest for your own soul. These are priceless gifts, worth far more than gold.

The parable reminds us that greed isolates, but generosity opens us to God and to others. Let us ask the Lord for wisdom to live freely, to treasure what really matters, and to be “rich before God.”

© Claretian Publications, Hong Kong, China
Cum Approbatione Ecclesiastica 2025