Barns for the 1%

Psalm 40, 54 • Psalm 51
Ecclus. 34:1-8,18-22 • Rev. 13:1-10 • Luke 12:13-31

The rich man in today’s Gospel builds larger barns in order to store his crops that will presumably feed him for the rest of his life, but even in our technological age, long-term storage of any food is a difficult task and the subject of much research, including my own. In his fear for the future, the man puts all his faith into vulnerable structures. God says, “You fool!” because the rich man will die before he’s consumed all his goods. But if he lives his goods may be consumed anyway by fungi, flames, flood, or some other infestation.

The poor don’t need to be told not to think like the out-of-touch rich man; they know better than he does how he could lose all his crops and goods in a natural disaster. Rather, this parable tells us God will supply our needs, but not by making us rich. The wealthy can’t buy their way into God’s favor, or hoard their way out of their need for God’s provision, and they may die trying.

To be honest, I can’t take this parable to heart right now. Wealth is manufactured in this country through racist policies and tax codes that are designed to help the rich get richer. Even the pandemic hasn’t stripped any riches away from those at the top. When the rich die their generational wealth will remain in rich hands. The barns just keep getting bigger.

Written by Kathryn Haydon

Kathryn studies rice quality and disease as a PhD candidate in Plant Science at the University of Arkansas and can’t wait to sing in the St. Paul’s choir again when we can all be safe together.