It is a wondrous thing that a man as unschooled as Abraham was should have been as wise in his belief in God. He lived in primitive times, had no recourse to books - the Bible had yet to see the light of day - in the depths of the desert, yet he knew enough of God in his heart to believe unwaveringly in the promises of God. St. Paul reminds us that Abraham's faith "justified" him, just as it will be our salvation if we believe as Abraham did in God who had the power to raise Jesus from the dead, the act by which we are saved.

The man in the parable which Jesus told the crowd was also a wise man. His wisdom was different from Abraham's. He was wise enough to plan his life to the last detail so that he could enjoy his retirement in comfort. Yet he was called a fool. Why? Because he lived as if God did not exist. The security he had was false for it was based on his wealth, and that wealth was there for him only until his death, a death over which he had no control. To build one's ultimate security, one has to believe in God for with God even death acquires meaning.

This faith in God is a sure foundation, unlike a faith based on materialistic possessions. Jesus reminds his disciples and us to make ourselves rich in the sight of God. It is a call to us to abandon our inner insecurities for the treasure of a secure faith in God, a treasure for the longer term, a treasure of eternal values.