Join us as we reflect, ponder, and pray together inspired by today's Gospel.
Today's Gospel: Luke 16:9-15
I Googled the word “mammon” in order to write this reflection. I assumed it had to do with money or wealth, based on the context, but I’d never actually looked into what exactly it was.
According to Catholic Answers, mammon is “the biblical false god of greed, [which] drives people away from fellowship with each other and with God.”
In my work with Catholic Women in Business, I frequently find that women entrepreneurs and business leaders are concerned about building wealth and making profit. “Am I being greedy? Is it sinful to make a lot of money?” they wonder.
The answer, it seems, is not “yes” or “no.” Like with so many questions in life, the answer is “it depends.” If we turn money into a false idol, if we strive to earn it in order to consume endlessly, to show up the neighbors, then making a lot of money can be sinful. Even more difficult, if we turn saving money into a false sense of security, relying on the number in our bank account rather than on God, we fall into sin.
Jesus says that we cannot serve both God and mammon. He doesn’t say that we cannot serve God and make money. In fact, the Gospels also tell us that there are wealthy men and women (Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Susanna, for instance) who “provided for [Jesus and His apostles] out of their resources” (Luke 8:1-3). It’s when we start to serve money as an end rather than use it as a tool for God’s purposes that we start to get into trouble.
Ponder:
Do I rely on my savings account for a feeling of security, or do I rely on God, while being a prudent steward of the resources He gave me?
Pray:
Lord, please help me to see money as a tool rather than an end. Help me to steward Your gifts prudently while trusting in Your providence.
Copyright 2023 Taryn DeLong
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