Many of our present-day financial high-flyers are very similar to the man we read about in today's Gospel. There is, however, one difference. The man, about whom Jesus spoke, was intelligent enough to realise that he had enough money so he decided not to concentrate on making more. He remained a deep-dyed materialist nonetheless.

In contrast some of the financial headline makers we read about today seem to have a crazy compulsion to make more and more and yet more. Their desire for total financial security and ever increasing bank balances drives them to transactions that destroy people who have trusted in them and ultimately to destroy themselves.

In my Bible, to-day's first reading is introduced by the words. "Generosity of God's Plan". It is an even more precious antidote to the contagion of materialism. In prayerful serenity we can contemplate God's loving plan for us. The greater capacity we can make available to God the more he can fill us. Maybe we need to empty the shelves in our barns a little to leave room for even more of his riches.