Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 12, 13-21

Someone in the crowd said to Jesus,
“Teacher, tell my brother to share the inheritance with me.”
He replied to him,
“Friend, who appointed me as your judge and arbitrator?”
Then he said to the crowd,
“Take care to guard against all greed,
for though one may be rich,
one’s life does not consist of possessions.”

Then he 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 grain and other goods
and I shall say to myself, “Now as for you,
you have so many good things stored up for many years,
rest, eat, drink, be merry!”’
But God said to him,
‘You fool, this night your life will be demanded of you;
and the things you have 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.”

Greed makes you poor

1. Share. A person isn’t poor because he has nothing, a person is poor when he doesn’t know how to share. It’s important to understand this because sharing is how you enrich your life. When you become closed off, all you accomplish is making yourself poorer. I’m not just talking about money; I’m referring to everything in your life. Share your knowledge, your experiences, and your ears. Listen to others who also need you. Life is meant for sharing and enriching yourself with others, not at their expense. Don’t close yourself off.

2. Nothing is certain. There are people who seem to be driven solely by their wallets. I assure you, I’ve met poor people with stacks of green bills in their pockets, and they were poor because they were consumed by sadness and loneliness, even to the point of trying to buy friendship or companionship. There are some things money can’t buy. As for material possessions, I dare say that nothing is certain. You might have them today and not tomorrow. You have to learn to navigate life in all circumstances. But I assure you, the love of a child, the love of your life partner, or the guidance of a true friend is something powerful that deeply penetrates life. The key to happiness is not what you have but how you live.

3. Be Prudent. Learn to live life and take each day as it comes. Money is a means to live, not your entire life. Don’t negotiate certain things; there are things you can’t push aside because doing so can bring you bitter experiences. There are things money can’t solve or buy, so don’t negotiate:

your children’s love,

moments with your family,

deep conversation with your wife or husband,

chats with your best friend,

your moments and dialogue with God,

moments with your parents,

time for yourself.

Don’t negotiate these things because their value is immense.

Remember that something good is on the way!

God bless you and be with you in the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.