Catholic Identity

Gospel Luke 12:13-21

Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me.” But he said to him, “Friend, who set me to be a judge or arbitrator over you?” And he said to them, “Take care! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of possessions.” Then he told them a parable: “The land of a rich man produced abundantly. And he thought to himself, ‘What should I do, for I have no place to store my crops?’ Then he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.’ But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life is being demanded of you. And the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ So it is with those who store up treasures for themselves but are not rich toward God.”

Summary

In this passage, Jesus responds to a man who wants help settling a family dispute over inheritance. Instead of solving the argument, Jesus warns against greed and obsession with material things. He tells the Parable of the Rich Fool, where a man builds bigger barns to store his wealth, thinking he can then relax and enjoy life. But God calls him a fool, saying his life will end that very night—and his stored-up wealth will mean nothing.

This parable reminds us that life is unpredictable and that possessions don’t give life true meaning. The man focused only on himself and his comfort, rather than living generously or thinking about his relationship with God.

Reflection

• Am I storing up for myself, or sharing with others?
• Do I value people and purpose more than money and things?

Jesus teaches that our real treasure is found in how we love, serve, and grow closer to God—not in how much we own.

Prayer

Loving God,

You remind us that true riches are not found in what we own, but in how we love and care for others.

Help us to let go of selfishness and greed.

Fill our hearts with faith, so we may trust You in all things, with kindness, so we may treat others with compassion, and with generosity, so we may share what we have with joy.

Teach us to be rich not in possessions, but in the things that truly matter—love, peace, and a life lived close to You.

Amen.