The Gospel’s approach to wealth
Does being spiritual and being devoted to God mean we have to flee the material world, its wealth, pleasures and our possessions? It’s a question that comes up frequently as we read Church documents, listen to our spiritual leaders or even when we page through the Bible.
Jul 31, 2015

By Marcellino D’Ambrosio
Does being spiritual and being devoted to God mean we have to flee the material world, its wealth, pleasures and our possessions? It’s a question that comes up frequently as we read Church documents, listen to our spiritual leaders or even when we page through the Bible. It may seem, to some, as if wealth is something to be avoided and the wealthy shunned.
In fact, the message about wealth in the Gospel, and in our lives as Christians, is complex and has little to do with the material. It is, in fact, more about the spiritual.
Think back to Adam and Eve. They were given responsibility to care for the Garden of Eden even before sin entered into the story. Work is holy and ought to be productive. And enjoying the fruits of our labour and sharing them with others are some of life’s greatest blessings.
Where we humans may run into trouble is in the way we view the material, especially wealth. It is all too easy for some to let money become a substitute for God.
In other words, it is easy to let it become an idol, sometimes, a substitute for God. That’s what Jesus means when he says you can’t serve both God and mammon (Lk 16:13). Those who choose mammon for their master seek their identity and ultimate security in money.
We see this in those such as the rich man of Luke 12. His problem is not that he is excited about a bumper harvest, but that he succumbs to the illusion that this wealth means security. He puts his trust in his warehouses and they let him down.
We also hear in 1 Timothy 6:10 that love of money is the root of all evil. And yet, we hear from those such as St. Augustine, who points out that the wrong kind of love is not restricted to money. Whenever a pursuit of anything leads us away from our love of God, that pursuit becomes idolatry and the root of all evil.
What is your passion? Is it the quest for the perfect mate? A particular job? Is it to win a prestigious athletic championship? A college degree? To flourish in business? The desire for all these things can be good indeed. The avid pursuit of each of these things can actually be a duty, depending on one’s state in life. It can bring benefits for a person, or for a family, or for a community, depending on how they are put to use. Achievements can be great, and can honour God.
The question, however, is whether these pursuits and perhaps achievements, become stepping stones or become impediments on our road to meet God, to carry out his will, to help others and, therefore, build his kingdom.
Some of those achievements can bring great things, but none greater than what God offers. To all who will accept it, Jesus offers the pearl of great price (Mt 13:45-46). What we don’t like about this is that it costs us everything to buy it. We have to surrender the title to all that we have and all that we are. God holds the title but still allows us to live in the house.
But for everyone, once in a while, there comes a moment of truth when we find out whether or not we have really, in fact, surrendered that title. Sometimes, we don’t want to let go of what we have.
Avarice, the love of money, is one of the seven deadly sins. This vice is not a matter of indulging too much in the “good things of life.” That’s gluttony, which is dangerous, but much less deadly. Avarice is not about spending money: it is about possessing things, finding one’s security and identity in things, clinging to things, hoarding things.
Take, for example, the tale of Ebenezer Scrooge. His wealth did not make him happy. It led him to misery (all sin ultimately leads to misery). Does not the Gospel mention that the rich young man went away sad?
When we read this story, we are inclined to smile smugly as Jesus condemns all those filthy rich people who own companies that send us bills each month.
But when Jesus warns the rich, he’s not classifying people according to what they have, but how attached they are to what they have. There are many of modest means who will cling fiercely to what little they have. Have you ever tried to get an old bone out of the mouth of a stray dog?
What we read in the Gospel when it comes to wealth is not a condemnation of the rich or of the material. It is a challenge to all of us. It is not aimed at the rich. Most us are pretty decent and keep most of the commandments. But rich or poor, we can’t forget to focus on our loving God with our whole heart, mind and soul.
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