
Who’s the rich man?
Twenty sixth Sunday of Ordinary Time, Year C
Collect
O God, who manifest your almighty power above all by pardoning and showing mercy, bestow, we pray, your grace abundantly upon us and make those hastening to attain your promises heirs to the treasures of heaven. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Reflection
Today’s Gospel begins by stating that Jesus was addressing the Pharisees before telling his parable. A few verses earlier, the Evangelist Luke says: “The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this and were sneering at him” (Luke 16:14). Jesus is the Master who teaches the Way. What he says stirs love in some, hatred in others, and indifference in the rest. When it comes to his teaching about money and earthly wealth, Jesus shows that these have value only in this life, and there is a strong and powerful temptation to make them our god, an idol, our life’s purpose. Greed is the uncontrolled craving for material wealth as if it were the sole purpose of life. In the parable, Jesus presents us with two characters: the rich man and the poor man. The rich man is nameless … perhaps to show that, in eternity, he loses everything. The poor man is named Lazarus (like the brother of Martha and Mary, friends of the Lord) … perhaps to show that he is a friend of God in eternity, his name written in the Book of Life. Did the Pharisees realise who Jesus was likening them to? They surely did! And what about us? Do we realise who we resemble? What value does material wealth hold for us? How much do we employ for the benefit of others? Let’s speak plainly. Here Jesus is not speaking about abstract matters or values we can interpret in different ways. He is speaking clearly and directly about money!
That is why the Evangelist explains that the Pharisees’ moral failing was, namely, their love of money. What are we doing with our money? Some people fight over inheritance. Some do not give workers what they rightfully deserve. Some simply hoard it. Others waste it on reckless shopping, or blow it on whatever takes their fancy, saying, “Didn’t I work for it?” What are we doing with our money?
Prayer
Lord Jesus, you lived among us and gave us powerful examples of how to trust in the providence of your Father. We ask you to grant us your Spirit, because through our own strength we cannot control our impulses—including our greed for money. Make us your disciples even in how we use money, for the glory of the Father. Thank you, Lord.