This is my homily for the Sunday of .... and with readings of .... 2 March 2014 __ 8th Sunday, Year A / •• Isaiah
49:14-15 •• Psalm 62 •• 1 Corinthians
4:1-5 •• Matthew 6:24-34
[__01__] Money or
love? Are they similar? Money -- or -- love?
Either one could become our God, our master. Either
one could command attention,
authority. This is the caution of the
Gospel today.
Our Lord Jesus says, “No one
can serve two masters. [… EITHER…
] He will hate one and love the other
or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and
Mammon” (Matthew 6:24)
“Mammon” is the ancient
Aramaic word for material possessions or wealth, especially the wealth that
could trap us…EITHER transferring funds between accounts -- OR -- shopping at Short Hills or Livingston
Mall. There is a fork in the road on
the way to the mall or to Amazon.COM …. Or even on the way to Sunday Mass.
There is a choice between .. EITHER …
·
material
reward (wealth, money) OR
·
spiritual
salvation (God, love, “God is love”)
John Henry Newman writes that
sometimes we mix up God and Mammon …. We should really love God and fear
Mammon/material goods… sometimes, it is the reverse. We spend our time fearing God …but loving our
material goods.[1]
[__02__] The
caution here is that the same effort and care that we give to material things
[Mammon] is also the effort we are called to give for the spiritual, for love,
for God.
Moreover, just as the choice
is between “either” God or Mammon, Jesus is emphasizing that this care and
effort are even more important when we are serving God … and being servants of
love.. rather than servants hoping only for a material reward.
For example, we will, work and
worry that our money and our possessions are safe and secure.
Regarding MONEY … “Trust and
Confidentiality and Security” are very important… are they not also important
in love ?
[__03__] We will give our money or invest our money
when we know the data is secure, that my
PIN/password codes are safe from hackers…
Is my information secure?
Confidentiality and trust are
also critical - even moreso – in a relationship of marriage / family /
friendship. Is my love secure?
While I trust Target and
Amazon with numbers and identity, I also entrust myself and my identity in loving relationships.
In order to make decisions in
life, we often need to trust certain people with very sensitive information.
In return, we expect these
friends and family to be honest with us… tell us the truth… not just tell us
about what is “marketable” or “on sale” or the easy way out.
Confidentiality. Trust. What’s important in money is even more important in love.
The Lord calls us to be
trustworthy servants not only in terms of money but also in terms of love.
[__04__] We
will also work, worry about money in terms of compensation, reward, payback.
Is this not justice? St.
Paul
This was a theme our late and
beloved pastor, Monsignor Joe [Petrillo] would express to students in our
Catholic school, or the students when he was principal and teacher.
Now, in school or at work, we
put in extra time – double or triple overtime – in the field or the classroom –
hoping for victory or a higher grade.
We will “serve” or become
servants to be rewarded monetarily or financially or academically.
Will we serve – also become
servants -- so as to be rewarded with
love?
[PAUSE] / [__05__]
Even in our professional or
working lives, not every task or career choice will be lucrative or profitable.
In fact, don’t we admire
service rendered without the expectation of a material reward.
And, are we not also taught to
choose work – career – vocation – relationship … not based on money but based
on love.
Yes, it is reasonable to
expect that our love will be returned with more love.
To love another person teaches
us to be a servant… and about forgiveness, humility.
Loving another person is also
an act of trust, trust and confidence in God’s grace.
[__06__] The
Christian life invites us to prayer and to appreciate the precious resource of
love, to guard it with trust and confidentiality… with overtime efforts …. And
with an openness to the rewards which God and love provide. [__fin__]
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