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Manila Bulletin devider Opinion devider You cannot serve God and mammon

You cannot serve God and mammon

Published Nov 6, 2021 12:05 am

REFLECTIONS TODAY

Reflections today

“Mammon” is the Greek transliteration of the Aramaic word for money in which one trusts. Jesus calls it “dishonest wealth” (v. 9) because the tendency to accumulate wealth often leads to dishonesty. Mammon is used here as if it were itself a god, a rival of God, asking for the service and worship of human beings.

Luke in particular presents Jesus as warning his disciples of the danger of riches. Because he wallows in what his wealth affords him, Dives (the Rich Man) is unmindful of poor Lazarus lying at his door (16:19-21). The Rich Fool is warned that his wealth would profit him nothing as his life could be taken away any moment. Foolish indeed is one who stores up treasure for himself but is not rich in what matters to God (12:20-21). In turn, Paul writes to Timothy: “Those who want to be rich are falling into temptation and into a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires, which plunge them into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is the root of all evils, and some people in their desire for it have strayed from the faith and have pierced themselves with many pains” (1 Tm 6:9-10).

GOSPEL • LUKE 16:9-15

Jesus said to his disciples: “I tell you, make friends for yourselves with dishonest wealth, so that when it fails, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings. The person who is trustworthy in very small matters is also trustworthy in great ones; and the person who is dishonest in very small matters is also dishonest in great ones. If, therefore, you are not trustworthy with dishonest wealth, who will trust you with true wealth? If you are not trustworthy with what belongs to another, who will give you what is yours? No servant can serve two masters. He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.” The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all these things and sneered at him. And he said to them, “You justify yourselves in the sight of others, but God knows your hearts; for what is of human esteem is an abomination in the sight of God.”

SOURCE: “365 Days with the Lord 2021,” ST. PAULS, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 632-895-9701; Fax 632-895-7328; E-mail: [email protected]; Website: http://www.stpauls.ph.

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