There is an obvious follow up question that does not appear in today’s Gospel. What does it mean to be rich in the matters of God? This question after all is the point of the parable. The world teaches us that it is good to be rich in material goods. We know that it is not a good or a bad thing to have many possessions, it is what we do with them that is the point. I remember talking with a missionary who explained to me that he was just realizing that poor people were not by default good and rich people were not by default bad. However, that still does not answer the question.

Imagine this scenario: An entrepreneur who seeks to grow his business. He is going to look for new markets and see in them the potential for business. Many may see nothing, but he is going to see what they don’t see and if he is right he will have a successful business.

If we want to be rich in the matters of God, we have to have a vision of the world around us as does God. We don’t just need to have zeal for the gospel, but an entrepreneurial spirit that leads us to see what God sees and to seek to do what God wants done. That will lead us to be rich in the matters of God.

But what does that mean? Remember something, the currency of Heaven is souls. God wants to see not stockpiles of grain or piles of gold coins: God wants to see souls that are committed to Him, for he knows that such persons will enjoy all the riches he can given them in spiritual goods. He wants us to look and see where he can expand his market in bringing people to know him more. He wants us to conform our lives to bring forth to Him more and more people who know Him and are committed to Him.

How do we do that? We pray that we do His will. Individually, as families and as a parish. When we do that we grow rich in the eyes of God.

Let’s us go back to the story. Jesus says ‘No’ to the original request, “Teacher, tell my brother to give me my half of the inheritance.” Why? it would seem that this would be the just thing to do, but he is calling the man to stop thinking in matters of the world and start thinking in matters of the God. It is better for him to go without his half of the inheritance than to lose his soul in the process.

What about us today? What are we teaching those around us? What is the most important thing for them to seek? Is it holiness or riches. Is it comfort or sanctity? Is it riches or is it Joy? What are we teaching others? What are we teaching ourselves?

Is not our greatest goal to be saved and to bring salvation to others? But what is salvation? It is becoming fully human and fully alive. It is knowing God and living in a whole different way of thinking and acting no matter what happens. It is trusting in the Lord at all times and knowing that all will be well. It is being in deep relationship with God.

Therefore, the greatest treasure we may have is a deep relationship with God where we do His will and lead others to Him. That goes for us individually, as a family and as a parish.

To be rich in the matters of God is to conform our will to His. It is to be all He created us to be, by asking Him daily what He wants from us. It is asking God to make us His servants in conformity to His will.

What does this look like? It is the electrician who prays every morning and asks God to transform his actions that day that he does may glorify God.

It is the prayerful nurse who serves in the Hospital asking God to ensure that she is living in a way that glorifies Him.

It is the police officer, the firefighter, the teacher, the lawyer, the housewife, whatever who begins his or her day asking God for the transformation of heart that makes each one more and more the person God created them to be more Christlike and more experiencing the joy of knowing Him.

Notice the question of money never appears here. For the person who is most like Christ will have money issues but will also entrust them to the Lord. The Lord will change their attitude on all things to conform to that trust.

Let me give you another example: The person who is rich in the matters of God will look upon others as God looks upon them. When everyone wants to give up on the troubled teen as a lost cause, the teacher rich in the matters of God does not. When everyone dismisses the hardened, vicious, career criminal, the correction officer rich in the matters of God secretly prays for him before he goes to bed that night. When everyone else is seeking to get rich, the person rich in the matters of God trusts in Divine Providence. When everyone is seeking the worldly matters, the person rich in the matters of God looks elsewhere. When everyone is being manipulated by the ways of the world, the person rich in the matters of God says to all, stop and pray that you might understand what is the truth here.

The person rich in the matters of God will see through social manipulation and will see the truth that others do not, for he is close to God and will see the world the way God sees the world.

He will understand that true riches are found in holiness, not in banks. That true joy is found in Christ not in department stores. He will understand that inner peace is a greater thing than outer belongings. He will ask not only what must I do to be saved, but Lord use me as you can that others will be saved. These are the ways to be rich in the matters of God.

Our greatest goal must never to be known as the rich man on the hill, our greatest goal must be the desire for God to say to us at the end of our lives “Well done my good and faithful servant.” For the one who hears those words will be richest in the matters of God.

God bless you,

Fr. Robert J Carr

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