The Catholic Calendar for Monday, October 17, 2005
The Twenty-ninth Week in Ordinary Time
St. Ignatius, bishop and martyr

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Romans 4:20-25
Luke 1:69-75
Luke 12:13-21

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

In today's Gospel, Jesus gets right to the point and says, “Avoid greed in all its forms.” A well-informed conscience knows exactly what He's saying, while those who have not so well an informed conscience might miss some of the circumstances where greed is an issue and indeed a sin.

Jesus, therefore, goes on to tell a story of a man who pulled down his barns to build newer and bigger ones, ones that could store more wealth and perhaps insure him a future time of comfort. Jesus calls that man “foolish”, while we might call him “practical” and a “good planner.” Why is it, that there might be this discrepancy in opinion about the man's actions?

It is precisely because Jesus always focused on the need for attention, first to the behaviors that would insure everlasting life, not those that provided temporal pleasure or comfort. He knew what things are most important and preached it.

For us, and indeed even the man in the Gospel story, it doesn't mean that we don't provide for the possibility of future temporal needs; but that we don't forget that there is something more important at stake than the concerns of this world. Yes, far more important!

Let us then get things straight, in order that we might not be considered foolish in the eyes of God, or risk the opportunity to share with Him everlasting life.

O Wisdom of God, be with me, always at work in me.

- Donna Raye Nelson, OCDS
(drn3rd at hotmail dot com)