Welcoming the Holy
Here we invite you to take time for yourself in personal prayer. The following spiritual reflection offers words and images which we hope will evoke for you an experience of God.
By: Sister Joan Cawley
Opening Prayer
God of all, You taught us how to be generous in giving us Your only Son to save us from our sins. Grant us the grace to see all our possessions as gifts from You to be shared and enjoyed.
Scripture
Luke 12:16-21
… Jesus told them a parable. “There was a rich man whose land produced a bountiful harvest. He asked himself, ‘What shall I do, for I do not have space to store my harvest?’ And he said, ‘This is what I shall do: I shall tear down my barns and build larger ones. There I shall store all my grains and other goods and I shall say to myself, “Now as for you, you have many good things stored up for many years, rest, drink, and be merry!” But God said to him, ‘You fool, this night your life will be demanded of you; and the things you prepared, to whom will they belong?’ Thus will it be for all who store up treasure for themselves but are not rich in what matters to God.
Reflection
After reading this parable, are we ready to clean-out that basement or garage or even that room? Probably not. There’s always that niche or corner that needs attention. When things accumulate, do you find a larger space? Maybe not a barn but have you noticed the number of storage units that have been constructed so you can rent space to store “stuff.”
We tend to purchase more than we need or can ever use – because we think that the things we store and save will prepare us for whatever happens. We all have heard it or we say it ourselves, “You never know when this might come in handy.” Saving and hoarding seem to have become a way of life more than sharing or giving things away. For some reason, the accumulation of “stuff” lulls us into a false sense of security.
Jesus challenges his disciples and us to spend themselves and our energies on growing rich in the sight of God.
We’re not called to be destitute but to stewardship – to share our goods with others. When you buy a new article of clothing, do you then give one away? When the children or teens are given new toys or video games, are they taught to give something of theirs away? We’re being asked to decide by what vision will we live. What will be the directing and determining force in our lives? Is my vision fixed on the person and mission of Jesus or do I have dollar signs dancing in my eyes, clouding and defeating that vision?
Reflect
Where do I find my wealth?
Am I in control of my material possessions or are they controlling me?
Prayer
Lord, teach me to be generous, to give and not to count the cost. (adapted from St. Ignatius’ Suscipe)
