Guard Yourselves against Avarice

Then, amidst the crowd, a man said to him, “Master, tell my brother to divide with me the inheritance that will befall us.” But Jesus said to him, “Man! Who  made  me to judge you or decide your allotment?”  Jesus then  said to them, “Be careful  to guard yourselves against all avarice, for no matter how much abundance a man may have, his life does not depend on the riches he possesses.”

He then told them the following parable: There was a rich man whose lands had produced extraordinarily; and so he thought to himself, “What shall I do, because I do not have a place where I can put all that I have reaped? Here is what I shall do: I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, into which I can put my entire harvest and all my possessions. And I will say to my soul: Soul,  you have  many  possessions saved up for many  years; rest, eat, drink and enjoy. However, at the same time, God said to the man, “How foolish you are! Your soul shall be taken this very night, and then who will possess what you have accumulated?”

“That is what happens to those who accumulate  wealth for themselves but who are not wealthy before God.” (Lk. 12:13-21)