Build bigger barns

But it holds us back. If I don’t own something – a field or a house – I will not be interested in developing it. I will only put my money where I know it will bear fruit and benefit my family. If the house or the field isn’t mine I have no lasting interest. The tension between private initiative and social values marks our age. Julius Nyerere had a strong social conscience but he had the humility to realise that his policies weren’t working. What motivates people is ownership.

The trouble with ownership is where to draw the line. Once a person tastes the fruits of wealth they want more; bigger this and more of that. Their conscience is blinded by excess. Jesus had a powerful image. A wealthy man had such a good harvest he had nowhere to store his riches. The only thing to do was to “pull down his barns and build bigger ones.” It is so gross it is a joke.

It is clear he had quite enough to live on already but he just couldn’t resist having more and more, without stopping to think did he really need more and more. Would he even be able to spend what he had? We hear stories of people who are fabulously rich today. They have millions stacked away somewhere. What for? Some, like Bill Gates we are told, try to use their millions on helping others. I heard not long ago of a man who became a millionaire over night when he won the lottery. He gave it away immediately before he could even think about it. He knew it would ruin his life.

So there is a balance needed if we are to follow the gospel. Yes, we need property rights so that we can be creative and develop our gifts. But, no, we don’t need too much. It will simply spoil us and make us hard and fearful and even put our life, our eternal life, in peril. And also, it is a long tradition in the Church – going back, I think, to Ambrose of Milan in the fourth century– what you don’t need isn’t yours. It belongs to the poor. If you hang on to it you are robbing the poor. While there are millions in people’s bank accounts there are also millions of poor people who need that money.

July 31, 2016                           Sunday 18 C

Qoheleth 2:21-23                    Colossians 3:1 …11                Luke 12:13-21