7 November 2015 - the new boss is not the same as the old boss

Money has a tendency to make us dishonest. Even so, we are called to be trustworthy with it. We are called to use it in the service of God rather than using God as an end toward our service of money. One of the best ways to use our money for God is to give it to the poor. This is why Jesus tells us to "make friends for yourselves with dishonest wealth". It isn't truly ours anyway. It "belongs to another" and will ultimately "fail". We need to be faithful with it, though, even though it is a small matter compared to heaven. We can't let it become our master. When we recognize that it is not our own and use it to make friends we "will be welcomed into eternal dwellings" and receive something which is truly ours.

It is very hard to recognize that our money and possessions aren't truly our own. It is easy to begin to structure our lives toward preserving them. It is easy to accidentally begin to serve them. We need to recognize what the Church calls "the universal destination of goods". The goods of creation are destined for the human race. Private property for the Christian can be nothing besides stewardship.

If we find our hearts reluctant to let go we must turn to Jesus. He can put his own love into our hearts and free us to serve our brothers and sisters. He can make us like Paul, ready to give thanks and celebrate everyone he knows. The love of Jesus causes us to desire the good of everyone. We want them to have what they need. Even more than the dishonest wealth which will benefit them in the short term we long for them to be welcomed together with us into eternal dwellings. Only Jesus can free us from selfishness and servitude to mammon so that we can truly have hearts like this.

Now to him who can strengthen you, 
according to my Gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ,
according to the revelation of the mystery kept secret for long ages
but now manifested through the prophetic writings and,
according to the command of the eternal God,
made known to all nations to bring about the obedience of faith,
to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ
be glory forever and ever. Amen.

Finally, together with all of the friends which the love of Jesus empowers us to make, we give thanks to God.

Let all your works give you thanks, O LORD,
and let your faithful ones bless you.
Let them discourse of the glory of your Kingdom
and speak of your might.