Sunday 3 August 2025

Today is Sunday the 3rd of August, beginning the 18th week of Ordinary Time. David Thomas with the Taverner Players, sings Ich Habe Genug from Bach’s Cantata number 82, echoing the words of Simeon: ‘I have enough. I have taken the Saviour, the hope of the Gentiles, into my arms.’ Often when we pray, we ask God for this and for that. And fair enough, we have needs and it is right to bring them before God. But there is something rather beautiful – there is something very beautiful – about this prayer, which just says, ‘I have you, Lord. I have enough.’ Ich habe genug, Ich habe den Heiland, das Hoffen der Frommen, Auf meine begierigen Arme genommen. Ich habe genug. Today’s reading is from the Gospel of Luke. Luke 12:13-21 Someone in the crowd said to [Jesus], ‘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.’ Today we hear one of Jesus’ many warnings against relying on wealth, possessions or status for our wellbeing and security. Thinking of your own attitude in this regard, how do you feel you need to respond to his warning? How do you think one becomes ‘rich in the sight of God’? Does that describe how you are, or how you want to be? Or are there anxieties or other feelings within you that push against the words of Jesus here? As you listen once more to Jesus speaking about our relationship to money and possessions, what thoughts, anxieties or desires come to your mind? Take time to allow them to surface as honestly as you can. Luke 12:13-21 Someone in the crowd said to [Jesus], ‘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.’ People turn to many things other than God for their security. Where does your security, or your need of it lie? Take time to talk to Jesus about how you feel in response to his parable. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be World without end Amen