First Reading
Job 38:1-11,16-18

Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind:
‘Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?
Gird up your loins like a man,
   I will question you, and you shall declare to me.

‘Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?
   Tell me, if you have understanding.
Who determined its measurements—surely you know!
   Or who stretched the line upon it?
On what were its bases sunk,
   or who laid its cornerstone
when the morning stars sang together
   and all the heavenly beings shouted for joy?

‘Or who shut in the sea with doors
   when it burst out from the womb?—
when I made the clouds its garment,
   and thick darkness its swaddling band,
and prescribed bounds for it,
   and set bars and doors,
and said, “Thus far shall you come, and no farther,
   and here shall your proud waves be stopped”?

‘Have you entered into the springs of the sea,
   or walked in the recesses of the deep?
Have the gates of death been revealed to you,
   or have you seen the gates of deep darkness?
Have you comprehended the expanse of the earth?
   Declare, if you know all this.

1

Bless the LORD, O my soul; *
     O LORD my God, how excellent is your greatness!
     you are clothed with majesty and splendor.

13

You water the mountains from your dwelling on high; *
     the earth is fully satisfied by the fruit of your works.

14

You make grass grow for flocks and herds *
     and plants to serve mankind;

15

That they may bring forth food from the earth, *
     and wine to gladden our hearts.

25

O LORD, how manifold are your works! *
     in wisdom you have made them all;
     the earth is full of your creatures.

26

Yonder is the great and wide sea
with its living things too many to number, *
     creatures both small and great.

27

There move the ships,
and there is that Leviathan, *
     which you have made for the sport of it.

28

All of them look to you *
     to give them their food in due season.

29

You give it to them; they gather it; *
     you open your hand, and they are filled with good things.

30

You hide your face, and they are terrified; *
     you take away their breath,
     and they die and return to their dust.

31

You send forth your Spirit, and they are created; *
     and so you renew the face of the earth.

32

May the glory of the LORD endure for ever; *
     may the LORD rejoice in all his works.

33

He looks at the earth and it trembles; *
     he touches the mountains and they smoke.

34

I will sing to the LORD as long as I live; *
     I will praise my God while I have my being.

35

May these words of mine please him; *
     I will rejoice in the LORD.

36

Let sinners be consumed out of the earth, *
     and the wicked be no more.

37

Bless the LORD, O my soul. *
     Hallelujah!      

We brought nothing into the world, so that we can take nothing out of it; but if we have food and clothing, we will be content with these. But those who want to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and in their eagerness to be rich some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pains.

As for those who in the present age are rich, command them not to be haughty, or to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but rather on God who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, generous, and ready to share, thus storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of the life that really is life.

Gospel
Luke 12:13-21

Someone in the crowd said to him, ‘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.’