Either / Or (2014-03-02)

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 himself writes that the “laborer is worthy of his hire” (1 Timothy 5:18)

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__]   

---

[1] Newman, John Henry, “Love the One Thing Needful”, page 1169, Parochial and Plain Sermons.