August 1: Pentecost 10
Luke 12:13-21
It would not be an
overgeneralization to say that money is a significant source of worry for most
Canadians. A recent Reuters survey
found that 65 percent of Canadians regularly lost sleep over finances during
the last year. As these folks were tossing and turning their heads were filled
with worry about paying off debt, not having enough for retirement, or an
emergency fund.
The wealthy
or extremely wealthy are not out of the woods as far as worry goes either. The financial
crisis which swept across the US almost two years ago demonstrated how
precarious the economy can be. Fortunes can be won, but fortunes can also be
lost, and with the loss of fortune go the loss of identity, self esteem, and
reputation. It would not be an
overgeneralization to say that more money you have, the more money you have to
worry about.
In today’s
gospel lesson, Jesus is confronted by a worried man. We don’t know much about
him, but we do know that he was worried about money or material wealth. He was
worried about his inheritance,
worried that he would not receive his share--that his brother was withholding
what should rightfully belong to him. So the man enlisted the aid of Jesus to
get him what he thought he deserved.
There are
many today like that young man. How many
people turn to Jesus in order to get the money they think they deserve? How
many television evangelists have come and gone promising that if you turn to
Jesus you will get wealthy beyond your wildest dreams? This is called the
success gospel, and it is very popular. But as we read today, Jesus affirms
that he is not what many would like him to be—the cosmic candy man, who dispenses goodies at the behest of the
pious.
Instead of
complying with the man’s request,
Jesus issues an admonishment: “ Be on your guard against all kinds of
greed!” All kinds of greed has been a
constant throughout human history. What
is greed? Greed is defined as an excessive desire to possess wealth or
goods. In the 1986 film, the fictional
character Gordon Gekko, a corporate raider, proudly proclaimed that “Greed is
Good”. It is a sad reality that much operation in the financial world follows
this ethic, and it is a fundamentally truth that greed has infected human
relationships at all levels—from the ruthless cigar chomping corporate raider to the sulking child who deprives his little
sister of a chocolate cookie out of an insatiable desire to stuff himself with
another. Greed comes in many different forms—greed for money, greed for power,
greed for control over another.
But the ethic of greed is based upon a
faulty premise, a flawed starting point. This is the point of the parable we
hear in today’s gospel lesson. In this lesson, Jesus does not use an
exaggerated example to illustrate
the end point of greed. He
doesn’t provide an example so far
removed from common experience that we
could never possibly relate to the motivation of its main character. Rather
he uses the example of a rich farmer. And as we read what Jesus
tells about his behavior, we might, if we are truly honest with ourselves, even
say that this man was prudent—that
we might under the same circumstances do the exact same thing. In fact, what this wealthy man does, is
exactly what many people do—invest, and save,
with the hope of living off their
fortunes. So what is the
problem? Well, first of all, Jesus isn’t speaking here about prudence and
wisely setting aside resources for the future. He is, rather, speaking about
idol making. The fortunes which many have amassed have become that in which
they place ultimate trust. Their fortunes become, for them, god. Herein lies the root sin of greediness.
As Paul points out in today’s epistle reading, greed is idolatry. Greed turns
money and possessions into gods. Greed must therefore be condemned by the true
God who issued the first
Commandment: “ You shall have no other gods.”
Since the
wage of sin is death, a death sentence has been pronounced upon all greediness.
You will nowhere encounter a more succinct description of where greed ultimately leads than that given
in today’s Old Testament reading from Ecclesiastes.
This comes from the section of the Old Testament referred to as wisdom, and for
good reason. In these pages of scripture you will encounter Holy fundamental
wisdom concerning the human condition. The teacher of the lesson set out to see
the end point of all human accumulation, and what he discovered was not a pot
of gold at the end of the rainbow, but
emptiness. All of that work, all of that effort put into gathering was an
effort put forth in vain. He
concludes by asking, “ What do mortals get from all the toil and strain with
which they toil under the sun? For all their days are full of pain, and their
work is a vexation; even at night their minds do not rest.” Death has been called the great
leveler, and for good reason. In death, accumulated material wealth means nothing. Even the best
adorned casket cannot erase that
stark reality.
It is quite
evident that the young man to whom Jesus speaks in today’s gospel lesson does
not have a rested mind, and surely experienced much vexation But he is not left without hope. Jesus
tells him plainly what it truly means to be rich. To truly be rich is to be
rich toward God.
What exactly does it mean to be rich toward God? The first
thing we need to know about being rich toward God, is understanding where our
wealth comes from, and what true wealth is. Being truly wealthy is living in
the reality of God’s great gift of eternal life. This is the only enduring
source of wealth we can ever enjoy. But it is not something we have earned,
acquired, or own—it is a gift which comes to us through the life, death, and
resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is given to us in baptism.
In today’s
epistle reading, St Paul reminds the Colossian Christians about what true wealth means. He reminds them
that they are raised with Christ, and being raised with Christ means a radical
reordering of values and priorities. It means setting their minds on things
that are above, not on earthly things. Paul is not telling them not to enjoy
God’s physical gifts, or to enjoy what is offered in the physical world. To
believe this is to misinterpret his message and to downgrade God beautiful
creation. Rather he is telling them not
to treat earthly things as idols. Therefore he admonishes them to put to
death the idolatrous pull to the earthly—to put to death fornication, which is
sex outside of marriage, put to death impurity, put to death evil desires and
greed. With these things must go anger, malice, wrath, slander, abusive language, and lying. For these things are all
remnants of the earthly way of doing things, all built on an orientation which
does not see beyond the physical and trusts ultimately in that which is
earthly. But this is the way of vanity.
Christ
brings transformation, and a new self and a new
orientation to reality, and a new way of thinking which is in accordance
with our creator. With this new knowledge comes a new attitude toward
possessions, toward saving, toward giving. With this new knowledge we are
capable of seeing at length what we would otherwise be incapable of even getting
a glimpse at—the eternal. With the
eternal perspective in mind we need not toss and turn at night about our
investments. With the eternal perspective in mind, we can share freely, knowing
that we are guided by a higher vision and purpose. With the eternal perspective
in mind we can be who we have been called to be, the ambassadors of Christ to a
world which desperately needs to be transformed by His word. Jesus has fed us and sustains us. We in
turn are called to be rich toward God, and being rich toward God means being
rich toward those whom he loves, and whom he loves are all people. Jesus calls us to be bold in this love.
So let us always and everywhere pray for the strength to be so. Now, may the
peace which surpasses all
understanding guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.
