Gospel: Luke 12: 13-21

 

The episode in today’s gospel is found only in the Gospel of Luke and does not have a parallel in the other Gospels. It forms part of the long description of Jesus’ trip from Galilee to Jerusalem in which Luke places most of the information which he collected concerning Jesus which is not found in the other three Gospels. 

 

The gospel today gives the response of Jesus to the person who asked Him to be the mediator in the distribution of an inheritance.

 

In the response of Jesus appears the knowledge which He has of His mission. Jesus does not feel sent by God to respond to the request to be arbitrator between the relatives who argue or quarrel among themselves concerning the distribution of the inheritance. 

 

But the request of this man leads Him to the mission to orientate persons, because “Watch, and be on your guard against avarice of any kind, for life does not consist in possessions…”. It was part of his mission to clarify the sense of life. The value of life does not consist in having many things, but rather in being rich for God. 

 

Then Jesus told a parable to help persons to reflect on the sense of life. Death is an important key to discovering the true sense of life. It makes all things relative, because it shows what perishes and what remains. How can one become rich for God? Jesus gives several suggestions and advice: Anyone who wants to be first, let him be last; it is better to give than to receive; the greatest is the smallest; he/she who loses his/her life will save it.