Monday 23 October 2023

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Today is Monday 23 October, in the 29th week of Ordinary time.

Eliza King with Ben Potter sings, ‘My Help Comes’.

I lift my eyes up to the hills

Up to the highest mountain

Is this where Heaven meets the Earth?

Where I might find Your presence?

Where does my help come from?

Where does my help come from?

My help comes from the Lord

My help comes from the Lord

The One who watches never sleeps

Nor does He wane or tire

Both night and day my life He keeps

My shadе, He is my shelter

Whеre does my help come from?

Where does my help come from?

My help comes from the Lord

Maker of the Earth and heavens

My help comes from the Lord

Seated high, high above them

My help comes from the Lord

Maker of the Earth and heavens

My help comes from the Lord

My coming and going

My sleeping and rising

The Lord watches over

Now and forever

My coming and going

My sleeping and rising

The Lord watches over

Now and forever

The Lord watches over

Now and forever

Today’s reading is from the Gospel of Luke.

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 towards God.’

This passage starts with someone asking Jesus to act as judge in a family dispute. What does this tell you about how that person sees Jesus? How far do you share this view?

Jesus uses this question to tell a parable about greed. Elsewhere, Jesus praises people for their prudence and foresight. So, what is it exactly that the rich man in this story does wrong?

God’s first words to the rich man here are “You fool!” Do you imagine those words being said harshly, condemning the man? Or “more in sorrow than in anger”? What’s the tone of God’s response?

As this passage is read again, notice whether it has anything to say to you about your own possessions, or your attitude towards them.

The passage ends with an encouragement to become “rich towards God”. Speak, finally, to God about how you hear that challenge.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.