Rich towards God

0:06

Ich habe genug

J. S. Bach, Taverner Players

Today is Monday the 19th of October, the feast of Saints John de Brébeuf, Isaac Jogues, and Companions SJ, in the 29th week of Ordinary Time.

David Thomas with the Taverner Players sings Ich Habe Genug from Bach’s Cantata number 82, echoing the words of Simeon: ‘I have enough. I have taken the Saviour, the hope of the Gentiles, into my arms.’

Often when we pray, we ask God for things we want, or need, and there’s nothing really wrong with that. But sometimes prayer is not about asking for things; sometimes prayer is more like this; just enjoying God’s presence and saying, ‘I have you, Lord. I have enough.’

Ich habe genug,

Ich habe den Heiland, das Hoffen der Frommen,

Auf meine begierigen Arme genommen.

Ich habe genug.

3:47

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.’

5:54

Born in the Sky

This reading starts with a rather abrupt order to Jesus: “Tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me”. What strikes you about this conversation?

Jesus responds with a parable and a warning to be on guard “against all kinds of greed”. How do you receive this warning? Reflect on how you might like to respond to this...

Listen again to the passage. Is there anything that you hear afresh or for the first time?

8:39

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.’

10:33

As this time of prayer comes to a close, ponder on how you might be generous towards God in the coming days... what might that look like in your life? Speak with the Lord as one friend speaks to another about anything that arises for you.

12:53

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