The readings last Sunday teach that it is impossible for us to serve two Masters.
In the first reading from the Prophet Amos, the people were choosing the ways of the world over the ways of God. They were tampering with the scales used to weight produce, so they could sell less for the same amount of money. These people were also impatient for Jewish Holy Days to be over, so they could return to making more money, often through cheating the poor. They were not serving God, but instead money.
Jesus says in the Gospel:
You cannot be the slave both of God and of money.
Money isn’t a bad thing in itself, but what is bad is a person’s attachment to money. It is like the story of the rich young man in the Gospels who when invited to be a disciple could not bring himself to give away his money and follow the Lord. His attachment to wealth sadly was the sin, which prevented him for reaching his potential to be holy, possibly even an Apostle. The Catechism of the Catholic Church ccc.1937 reminds us that those who have been given the gift of wealth, have a duty to use it wisely for the common good. By their generosity they can win friends in Heaven. The love of money, power, pleasure and honour lead people to inevitably turn their backs on God. These things cause people to take their minds off Heaven and their hearts become hardened to the needs of others. It is as if they walk around with their heads facing down at the earth, they do their own will, instead of the Divine Will. Love of money makes people anxious, unsettled and terrified that they may lose their nest egg of security.
St Paul in the second reading reminds us that we are called to pray for leaders in society and in the Church. If we pray for leaders, good leaders will eventually arise. Governance must begin with “inner governance”. Anyone without virtue is not fit to be in a position of authority. There is a great shortage of good, virtuous and courageous leaders today. Let’s pray regularly for politicians and for the Bishops in the Church, that they will strive to serve God, by promoting Christian morality in society, protecting the traditional family unit and not looking only to short term earthly goals or to be simply crowd pleasers.
In last Sunday’s parable, the servant knowing that he as about to lose his job, made sure he would have some friends who would welcome him into their homes when dismissed from office. He called his master’s debtors and reduced the debts they owed. What he removed is believed to have been his own commission, so that they would only have to pay back the debt of their master and not his own commission. So, he took the hit himself. In this way he would have people to look after him, when he would need help to re-establish himself and get on the road again. The master praised him because he acted prudently in his desperate situation to ensure his future. In other words, those in the world of economics act diligently to ensure their economic future and stability. They are more diligent about this than the children of light, that is the followers of Christ. Jesus is challenging us to be diligent about our spiritual lives and gaining the true treasure in Heaven. Just one good act of charity, covers a multitude of sins (cf. 1 Peter 4:8). Last Sunday on Mission Sunday we should consider supporting the Catholic Missions, this is just one way we can atone for our sins and win friends in Heaven.
Last Sunday’s gospel reminds me of the life of St Francis of Assisi. He was born around 1181 in Assisi in Italy and came from a wealthy family. As a young man however, he wasted a lot of the family’s wealth on lavish parties and expensive clothes. He was very popular with the local youth but also very proud and he lived a life of self-indulgence and sin. But his life changed after a serious of humiliations and misfortunes which caused him to reflect deeply on how he had been living his life. He day-dreamed about becoming a famous knight, so he enlisted in the Assisi army in the war against the neighbouring county of Perugia. He was required to have a horse and armour. But not just any suit of armour would satisfy Francis, he had to have it decorated in gold. The enemies seeing his expensive armour managed to capture him and threw him into a dingy jail and then demanded a hefty ransom from his father. This was a very humiliating experience for Francis, but God had been working on him, and he had a dream where he realized that up until now, he had lived his life only for himself. After around twelve months and much prayer, the ransom from his father arrived and he was set free. Returning to Assisi he made a very sincere Confession and decided from then on to live his life only for Christ. He embraced poverty, despite his father’s pleas and displeasure and while praying before a crucifix, he heard Jesus say: Francis rebuilt my Church. He responded by starting to rebuild a tumbled down old Church, but he later realized that Jesus meant much more than that. Many other young men joined him in this religious life of renunciation. Eventually the Franciscan Order would come into being. Not long before he died at the age of forty-five, Francis received the stigmata, the wounds of Christ. By then there were thousands in the Order, and the Franciscan Order played a huge part in strengthening and rebuilding the faith-life of the people all around the world and is still doing that. This all came about because Francis decided to serve the Master, rather than money.
We all need to realize that we are only stewards of the gifts of time, talents and treasure. These gifts come from God. As good stewards we should always be generous in supporting the Missions and in almsgiving in general. As the old saying goes: ..Give in one hand and God gives back in the other. There is a tradition in the Church going right back to Jewish roots of paying a tithe to the Church, which equates to 10%. We see this in the Book of Genesis where Abram paid a tithe of 10% on all he had to Melchizedek, king of Salem. This practice of tithing was strongly encouraged by the teachings of the Council of Trent. Let’s be generous and use the gifts God entrusts us with in this life. Remember about the importance of the Spiritual and Corporal works of mercy. It is our good deeds which go before us to build our home in Heaven. Praise be Jesus Christ, now and forever!