Working with the Word

Focusing the Gospel

Key words and phrases: guard against all greed, what matters to God

To the point: The rich man in the parable judges he has stored up enough possessions to guarantee a good life without worries—so he thinks. Any reliance on wealth and possessions, however, is pure folly—both worldly possessions and this life are fleeting. What truly matters is the inheritance that only God can give: the fullness of eternal life. What “matters to God” is spending our life dispossessing ourselves of anything which hinders us from growing into the fullness of life.

Connecting the Gospel …

... to the first reading: The First Reading describes in greater detail the misfortune which befalls the rich man in the Gospel parable. According to Qoheleth, laboring for wealth and possessions is not only foolish but results in sorrow, grief, and anxiety.

... to experience: Nothing breeds confidence like success. This is also true when we turn to God in prayer. Although not always in the way we expect, God always answers our prayer.

**From Saint Louis University