18th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Reading I: Ecclesiastes 1:2,2:21-23 II: Col 3:1-5,9-11


Gospel
Luke 12:13-21

13 One of the multitude said to him, "Teacher, bid my brother divide the inheritance with me."
14 But he said to him, "Man, who made me a judge or divider over you?"
15 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."
16 And he told them a parable, saying, "The land of a rich man brought forth plentifully;
17 and he thought to himself, 'What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?'
18 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.
19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; take your ease, eat, drink, be merry.'
20 But God said to him, 'Fool! This night your soul is required of you; and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?'
21 So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God."


Interesting Details
One Main Point

The purpose of life is not to be rich in material possessions, but to be rich in the sight of God. That is to share the wealth to those in need.


Reflections
  1. When I get involved in a family dispute, what is the driving force to settle the differences?
  2. Similar to the rich man in the parable, do I spend so much time and energy to accumulate wealth and a great plan to secure a comfortable future? Do I totally control that future? What do I miss in my plan?
  3. How do I treat my possessions? Do I rightfully earn them or consider them as gifts from God? How do I balance between the need and the excessive?

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A synthesis by the Vietnamese Christian Life (Dong Hanh) Community