of the Immaculate Heart of Mary
MONDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2024 WEEK TWENTY NINE – ORDINARY TIME

MONDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2024 WEEK TWENTY NINE – ORDINARY TIME

THE RICH FOOL (LK 12:13-20)

Prayer:

O Lord, do not allow my material possessions to ruin my faith.

Imagination:

Picture Jesus with His disciples.

Context:

A person asked Jesus to gain him his rightful inheritance. Jesus refuses to accept this task.   Jesus wants people to avoid greed.  Owning property is irrelevant in the new Age.  This parable explains why Jesus sees earthly wealth as unimportant.

Because of his gigantic harvest, the farmer need not fear if future years bring bad crops.  His security makes him into a fool (in the biblical sense).  He does not need God and does not realize God’s impending judgment.

Gospel Text: (Read slowly, possibly aloud.)

Thoughts: (Read all. Ponder those that attract you.)

  1. Greed tries to guarantee an abundant future.
  2. Jesus’ future goal is heavenly life, not earthly abundance.
  3. The great harvest gets the farmer thinking.
  4. His riches make him into a “biblical fool”, blinding him to spiritual realities.
  5. The barns filled with grain make him forgot God’s coming judgment.
  6. His vision is false.  His soul will be judged this very night.
  7. Jesus warns that nothing can put off the judgment.

Affections: (When one touches your heart, use your own words.)

  • Jesus, help me to avoid greed.
  • I entrust my future into your hands.
  • Your judgments are inevitable, Jesus.  Nothing can postpone them.
  • Give me a repentant heart.  In this way, I am prepared.
  • Remove all my foolish reasoning.  Destroy all my illusions.
  • Come close to me, O Lord.  You alone are my security.
  • Soon, so very soon, the whole cosmos will fold up.  History will be over.  In that moment, I will be with you.

Resolutions: (Possibly you might want to make your own.)

+ I will live today as if I will come before God this night.

+ I will honestly face my own “foolishness”, my pushing God to the background.

Thought for the Day: (To recall your meditation.)