Illustration by Libby Kercher

At one time or another, we have all been the rich fool who covets material wealth. Today’s reflection reminds us that God’s word offers us a way forward that both affirms our LGBTQIA+ identities and grows our spiritual wealth.

July 3, 2025: Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C
Ecclesiastes 1:2; 2:21–23
Psalm 90:3–6, 12–14, 17
Colossians 3:1–5, 9–11
Luke 12:13–21

Affirming Faith as Wealth

A reflection by Sam Barnes

At the ripe young age of 27, I am preparing my will.

Luckily, I did not receive a significant diagnosis, and fortunately, I have not been gravely injured. Instead, God struck me with the realization that I will be better affirmed in my gender by pursuing surgery. While the chance of fatal complications is minimal and the money in my bank account is a joke, I want to make sure that if I were to unexpectedly pass away, my possessions are distributed accordingly.

What strategic timing on God’s behalf for me to be in this situation as I read the parable of the rich fool in Luke 12:13-21. In this gospel reading, a son is asking Jesus to mediate the division of his father's estate. In typical Jesus fashion, he responds with a parable that demonstrates how “life is not made more secure by what you own" (Luke 12:15). The man in the story prioritizes physical riches over his relationship with God and tries to fill his soul with the products of the Earth. In the end, the rich fool dies without a faith-based understanding of wealth.

There are several lessons embedded in this week’s readings that we, as queer people of faith, can carry with us. The first is the difference between body and soul. In several Bible translations (American Standard Version, King James Version, Revised Standard Version, etc.), the rich fool is quoted as saying, “And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, be merry” (Luke 12:19). The Greek word for soul used here (ψυχῇ or ψυχή, depending on the case) most likely signifies the eternal part of an inner person. This suggests that the fool believes the material pleasures of the earth–eating, drinking, and being merry–will feed his immaterial self.

However, God offers us a definition of wealth that exists beyond the physical. For people of faith, wealth is not defined by our possessions but rather our soul’s relationship with God. While there are undeniable physical needs that we as living beings have, nourishing our souls and feeding our relationship with God through time and prayer can bring us into a full, rich life.

The next lesson is to stop waiting until things are perfect. Many of us can fall prey to unrealistic expectations set by a money-focused society. For instance, we might think life will be better when we get our dream car or dream job. We might even postpone working on our own mental health until the kids’ college is fully paid off.

God firmly reminds us that tomorrow is not guaranteed. The rich fool is told of his death the same night it happens, which is more of a heads-up than many of us will get. If we keep waiting until things are ideal, we might never get the chance to make a change in our life that affirms us in our identities and grows us closer to God.

Ecclesiastes 2:22-23 offers another opinion on the matter, suggesting that death can make our physical work on this Earth seem meaningless if not accompanied by the peace that comes from accepting God’s hand in our lives. The preacher in Ecclesiastes 2 is making the point that faith can spur contentment with the simple pleasures in life. So what if we never start a new company from the ground up? Why does it matter if we only buy used cars? None of these fit under God’s conception of wealth. If we are anxious about our fate after death, the Bible offers a focus on the soul that can grant us peace, knowing we are wealthy in a way that is more beautiful in God’s eyes than physical riches.

Which leads us to the final takeaway from this week’s readings: our queerness inherently makes us spiritually wealthy. Colossians 3:11 states, “there is no Greek or Hebrew; no Jew or Gentile; no barbarian or Scythian; no slave or citizen. There is only Christ, who is all in all.” We could easily substitute some other words here that are more applicable to our lives today: there is no gay or straight; cisgender or transgender; no asexual, allosexual, monogamous or polyamorous. There is only Christ, who is in all. What would it look like to accept that the overwhelming love of God is within each of us? Sharing that love with someone of the same, opposite, or perpendicular gender does not make a difference to God’s ability to move through us. LGBTQIA+ folks have the same ability to nurture our souls’ relationship with God and grow in spiritual wealth as straight, cisgender folks.

As you move forward this week, I invite you to consider how rooting your concept of wealth in spiritual matters can encourage you to live your life to its fullest and most faithful. For instance, the number of people who have said they will help out with my recovery is worth so much more than the money in my savings. Praising God for such a supportive community and rejoicing in how I will be a fuller version of myself after the surgery is both affirming my identity and growing God’s kingdom one day at a time.

Sam Barnes is a youth advocate for LGBTQ+ inclusion in Catholic and religious spaces. They have a master’s degree in policy and work in the international affairs space. They previously served as the Editor-in-Chief of the International Affairs Review published by The George Washington University. In their free time they enjoy rock climbing and reading, and volunteer with a local mentorship program for high schoolers.

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