Poverty, wealth, and greed

 

 

Someone in the crowd said to him, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me." But he said to him, "Friend, who set me to be a judge or arbitrator over you?" And he said to them, "Take care! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; for one's life does not consist in the abundance of possessions." Then he told them a parable: "The land of a rich man produced abundantly. And he thought to himself, 'What should I do, for I have no place to store my crops?' Then 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; relax, eat, drink, be merry.' But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your life is being demanded of you. And the things you have prepared, whose will they be?' So it is with those who store up treasures for themselves but are not rich towards God."

Luke 12:13-21

 

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Parable of the Rich Man

REMBRANDT Harmenszoon van Rijn

Gemäldegalerie

Berlin

Germany

 

https://fineartamerica.com/featured/rembrandt-the-parable-of-the-rich-fool-rembrandt.html

 

 

 

 

 

Earth provides enough to satisfy every man's need, 

but not every man's greed.

~ Mahatma Gandhi

 

 

 

Greed is not a financial issue.

It’s a heart issue.

~ Andy Stanley

 

 

 

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Harley had a Summer Cut.

 

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Kei Sakamoto arrived from Philadelphia.

He is already turning Ray Yoshioka into a Phillies fan.

 

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Tina and Friend were thrilled to have him here!

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On Sunday, Kei will be running in the 

Bound for Boston Marathon near City Park, Denver.

GO, KEI!!!

 

 

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Happy Birthday at Rotary

 

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Lynn and Jim Gilbert brought me dinner!

 

 

 

 

 The choice of life

is not between fame and fortune,

nor wealth and poverty,

but between good and evil.

~ Boyd K. Packer

 

 

 

 

August 3, 2025  Eighth Sunday after Pentecost - Year C

 

Previous OPQs may be found at:

 

 

Agnus Day, by James Weinstein

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Agnus Day appears with the permission of www.agnusday.org

 

 

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LECTIONARY

Hosea 11:1–11 

Psalm 107:1–9, 43 

Colossians 3:1–11 

Luke 12:13–21

 

The parable of the foolish rich man:  “’You fool, this night your life will be demanded of you; and the things you have prepared, to whom will they belong?’”
Luke 12: 13-21

THE WORD:

Rabbis were often asked to arbitrate conflicts within families and communities.  In today’s Gospel, Jesus has been approached to settle such an argument over an inheritance.  Jesus responds not by taking sides but by addressing the greed that has brought both sides to near blows.  He tells the parable of the rich man who, in the midst of his good fortune, loses his sense of what is really important.  Possessions create the illusion that we can control our lives; the drive for gain makes us oblivious to the needs and dreams of others.  The “foolish” rich man in today’s Gospel sadly discovers that wealth in the reign of God has nothing to do with stock portfolios, bank accounts or the social register.

 

 

First Reading Hosea 11:1-11

1When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son. 2The more I called them, the more they went from me; they kept sacrificing to the Baals, and offering incense to idols. 3Yet it was I who taught Ephraim to walk, I took them up in my arms; but they did not know that I healed them. 4I led them with cords of human kindness, with bands of love. I was to them like those who lift infants to their cheeks. I bent down to them and fed them.

5They shall return to the land of Egypt, and Assyria shall be their king, because they have refused to return to me. 6The sword rages in their cities, it consumes their oracle-priests, and devours because of their schemes. 7My people are bent on turning away from me. To the Most High they call, but he does not raise them up at all.

8How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I hand you over, O Israel? How can I make you like Admah? How can I treat you like Zeboiim? My heart recoils within me; my compassion grows warm and tender. 9I will not execute my fierce anger; I will not again destroy Ephraim; for I am God and no mortal, the Holy One in your midst, and I will not come in wrath.

10They shall go after the LORD, who roars like a lion; when he roars, his children shall come trembling from the west. 11They shall come trembling like birds from Egypt, and like doves from the land of Assyria; and I will return them to their homes, says the LORD.

Psalm 107:1-9, 43

1O give thanks to the LORD,

for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever.

2Let the redeemed of the LORD say so,

those he redeemed from trouble

3and gathered in from the lands,

from the east and from the west,

from the north and from the south.

4Some wandered in desert wastes,

finding no way to an inhabited town;

5hungry and thirsty,

their soul fainted within them.

6Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble,

and he delivered them from their distress;

7he led them by a straight way,

until they reached an inhabited town.

8Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love,

for his wonderful works to humankind.

9For he satisfies the thirsty,

and the hungry he fills with good things.

43Let those who are wise give heed to these things,

and consider the steadfast love of the LORD.

Second Reading Colossians 3:1-11

1So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth, 3for you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4When Christ who is your life is revealed, then you also will be revealed with him in glory.

5Put to death, therefore, whatever in you is earthly: fornication, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed (which is idolatry). 6On account of these the wrath of God is coming on those who are disobedient. 7These are the ways you also once followed, when you were living that life. 8But now you must get rid of all such things-anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive language from your mouth. 9Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have stripped off the old self with its practices 10and have clothed yourselves with the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of its creator. 11In that renewal there is no longer Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and free; but Christ is all and in all!

Gospel Luke 12:13-21

13Someone in the crowd said to him, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me." 14But he said to him, "Friend, who set me to be a judge or arbitrator over you?" 15And he said to them, "Take care! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; for one's life does not consist in the abundance of possessions." 16Then he told them a parable: "The land of a rich man produced abundantly. 17And he thought to himself, 'What should I do, for I have no place to store my crops?' 18Then 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. 19And I will say to my soul, "Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry." 20But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your life is being demanded of you. And the things you have prepared, whose will they be?' 21So it is with those who store up treasures for themselves but are not rich toward God."