Paul Oman’s Parable of the Rich Fool (drawn-to-the-word.com) appears, at first glance, to be an agrarian-themed impressionist painting. After learning the painting’s title, the viewer gains further insight into the artist’s intended message. The story is about a rich man with so much wealth that he doesn’t know what to do with it all. He decides to build more storage for the bountiful harvest of his land. But then he hears from God: “You fool, this night your life will be demanded of you; and the things you have prepared, to whom will they belong?”
In Oman’s painting, the foolish farmer stands in a field of tall, abundant crops as he surveys his barns and contemplates managing the abundance. He plans to store up his wealth for many years so he can “rest, eat, drink, and be merry.” But this view of things is not God’s view. What matters to God is not the treasure of this world, says Jesus. As I consider this image, I ponder how much “stuff” I have. It may not be much, comparatively speaking, but it’s undoubtedly more than a monk needs and most likely sufficient to warrant a frown from St. Benedict. Is my stuff weighing me down? Impeding my spiritual progress? What if my life is demanded of me tonight? To whom will it all belong?
As we look at our own barns and grain silos, may the Holy Spirit guide us in determining which treasures matter most to God. And let us give them away rather than storing them up—treasures like kindness, generosity, gratitude, patience, and love for a start.
