Gospel: Luke 16:9-15
And so I tell you: use filthy money to make friends for yourselves, so that, when it fails, these people may welcome you into the eternal homes. Whoever can be trusted in little things can also be trusted in great ones; whoever is dishonest in slight matters will also be dishonest in greater ones. So if you have been dishonest in handling filthy money, who would entrust you with true wealth? And if you have been dishonest with things that are not really yours, who will give you that wealth which is truly your own? No servant can serve two masters. Either he does not like the one and is fond of the other, or he regards one highly and the other with contempt. You cannot give yourself both to God and to Money.” The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this and sneered at Jesus. He said to them, “You do your best to be considered righteous by people. But God knows the heart, and what is highly esteemed by human beings is loathed by God.
Reflection:
"To seek that people live in dignity."
“You cannot give yourself both to God and to Money.” Mammon in Aramaic means wealth and in Hebrew means treasure. Therefore, Christ is teaching us that we cannot serve God if we are caught up in the pursuit of wealth. However, this attitude of attachment runs deep, as the contrast between God and Money (Mammon) is presented in such a way as to imply that money has become an idol or demon to which we become enslaved. If we are not possessed by money, we can use what we possess to support our families, to care for others, as well as attend to our own needs. If we fall foul of worshiping money, our openness to the needs of others will fade, and our generosity will shrivel up. As Christians, we are called to build up society and to help free people from hunger, disease, and a life without the bare necessities. We are therefore to seek that people live in dignity. A generous spirit that is in imitation of Christ will be open to giving instead of simply accumulating or wasting what we have.
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