hoarding

¹⁵So he said to them: “Be cautious and wary of all avarice. For a person’s life is not found in the abundance of the things that he possesses.” ¹⁶Then he spoke to them using a comparison, saying: “The fertile land of a certain wealthy man produced crops. ¹⁷And he thought within himself, saying: ‘What should I do? For I have nowhere to gather together my crops.’ ¹⁸And he said: ‘This is what I will do. I will tear down my barns and build larger ones. And into these, I will gather all the things that have been grown for me, as well as my goods. ¹⁹And I will say to my soul: Soul, you have many goods, stored up for many years. Relax, eat, drink, and be cheerful.’ ²⁰But God said to him: ‘Foolish one, this very night they require your soul of you. To whom, then, will those things belong, which you have prepared?’

³⁴For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

¹Act now, you who are wealthy! Weep and wail in your miseries, which will soon come upon you! ²Your riches have been corrupted, and your garments have been eaten by moths. ³Your gold and silver have rusted, and their rust will be a testimony against you, and it will eat away at your flesh like fire. You have stored up wrath for yourselves unto the last days.

⁸But if anyone has no concern for his own, and especially for those of his own household, he has denied the faith, and he is worse than an unbeliever.

³¹Therefore, do not choose to be anxious, saying: ‘What shall we eat, and what shall we drink, and with what shall we be clothed?’ ³²For the Gentiles seek all these things. Yet your Father knows that you need all these things. ³³Therefore, seek first the kingdom of God and his justice, and all these things shall be added to you as well.

²⁶Whoever hides away grain shall be cursed among the people. But a blessing is upon the head of those who sell it.

²⁴No one is able to serve two masters. For either he will have hatred for the one, and love the other, or he will persevere with the one, and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.

²⁷Do not prevent him who is able from doing good. When you are able, do good yourself too. ²⁸Do not say to your friend: “Go away, and then return. Tomorrow I will give to you.” When you are able to do so, give in the present.

⁶But piety with sufficiency is great gain. ⁷For we brought nothing into this world, and there is no doubt that we can take nothing away. ⁸But, having nourishment and some kind of covering, we should be content with these. ⁹For those who want to become rich fall into temptation and into the snare of the devil and into many useless and harmful desires, which submerge men in destruction and in perdition. ¹⁰For desire is the root of all evils. Some persons, hungering in this way, have strayed from the faith and have entangled themselves in many sorrows.

¹⁶Then he spoke to them using a comparison, saying: “The fertile land of a certain wealthy man produced crops. ¹⁷And he thought within himself, saying: ‘What should I do? For I have nowhere to gather together my crops.’ ¹⁸And he said: ‘This is what I will do. I will tear down my barns and build larger ones. And into these, I will gather all the things that have been grown for me, as well as my goods. ¹⁹And I will say to my soul: Soul, you have many goods, stored up for many years. Relax, eat, drink, and be cheerful.’ ²⁰But God said to him: ‘Foolish one, this very night they require your soul of you. To whom, then, will those things belong, which you have prepared?’ ²¹So it is with him who stores up for himself, and is not wealthy with God.”

²¹Jesus said to him: “If you are willing to be perfect, go, sell what you have, and give to the poor, and then you will have treasure in heaven. And come, follow me.” ²²And when the young man had heard this word, he went away sad, for he had many possessions.

⁴Rejoice in the Lord always. Again, I say, rejoice. ⁵Let your modesty be known to all men. The Lord is near. ⁶Be anxious about nothing. But in all things, with prayer and supplication, with acts of thanksgiving, let your petitions be made known to God. ⁷And so shall the peace of God, which exceeds all understanding, guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

¹⁶But do not be willing to forget good works and fellowship. For God is deserving of such sacrifices.

¹⁹And I will say to my soul: Soul, you have many goods, stored up for many years. Relax, eat, drink, and be cheerful.’ ²⁰But God said to him: ‘Foolish one, this very night they require your soul of you. To whom, then, will those things belong, which you have prepared?’ ²¹So it is with him who stores up for himself, and is not wealthy with God.”

²⁶For how does it benefit a man, if he gains the whole world, yet truly suffers damage to his soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

²⁷And Jesus, gazing at them, said: “With men it is impossible; but not with God. For with God all things are possible.”

¹⁵Do not choose to love the world, nor the things that are in the world. If anyone loves the world, the charity of the Father is not in him.

⁹And so, let us not be deficient in doing good. For in due time, we shall reap without fail.