Gospel Reflection on Luke 12:13-21

August 3, 2025

One of the multitude said to him, “Teacher, bid my brother divide the inheritance with me.” But he said to him, “Man, who made me a judge or divider over you?” And he said to them, “Take heed, and beware of all covetousness; for a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”And he told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man brought forth plentifully; and he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ And 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; take your ease, eat, drink, be merry.’ But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you; and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”

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We learn quite early on how to live strategically. What that means is we discover how one step leads to another, and that leads to another, and then another. Often the goal we're after is off on the site.

It could be trying to develop a skill in sports, or trying to get good at a particular academic subject, or trying to master a musical or artistic skill, and learn first this, and then that, and then you move on to this. If you develop those first steps, they will eventually help us to be proficient in later goals. That discovery helps us to grow in perseverance in order to reach that often distant goal.

And while we don't often think about it, this is what really gives our life meaning. This step-by-step process rescues our life from just being a series of disordered events. It becomes something that has sense and meaning.

Our lives develop depth when what we do is directed towards a goal. The greater the goal, the more meaningful are all our individual actions. The question shouted out to Jesus in today's Gospel draws our attention to this process.

Someone asked him to intercede in a family quarrel over money. Often does that happen. Jesus answered, 'who appointed me your judge?' It might seem like Jesus is saying, 'don't bother me with those matters', but what he's really saying is, this is a final question.

This is a question that must be looked at from the perspective of the end of life. The crucial criteria for decision-making is, 'how will this decision look on the last day?' So the ultimate criteria for determining the value is really eternity. How will this action look from the perspective of eternal life? How will this look at the end of time? Jesus, in truth, is replying to the man.

At that point in your life, what will be more important to you? The property you're arguing about, or your brother? Loving your brother, sharing with him, forgiving him for not sharing with you. These things will matter in eternity. All the rest, money, property, inheritance, what people think about us, all of that will pass away.

Jesus tells us, 'make purses for yourselves that don't wear.' There are purses that grow old, and those that do not. Treasures that fade away, and those that remain.

Possessions that criminals can take promise, and those that cannot be stolen.

Paul reminds us that only love endures beyond the grave. Only our relationships endure past death.

Loving my mother, my brother, is a matter of eternity. Money, not so much. To divide the inheritance with him, or to forgive him because he didn't share it with me, this is a question of eternity.

The rest is all passing realities. Death will come and take them away. Then only love will stand.

We need to lift our eyes from how we feel in the moment, separate ourselves from ideas of fairness and entitlement, and develop a long-term point of view. It's that long-term point of view that guides us in how to secure those treasures that really matter, that really last.

Love. Forgiveness. Friendship.