The roots of evil

       I found out recently that even though I have retired, I would be getting some monies from the contract my union had just negotiated. We had worked so long without a contract that the settlement in negotiations reached back to a time when I had been employed. Bonus! I always welcome money.

        How is that different from the chastising words from Jesus in today's passage from Luke about the Pharisees who are "lovers of money"?  First let me relay my own parable here. A Catholic Priest, a Rabbi and a televangelist are discussing how they handle finances and how they 'pay themselves' and how much they give to God. The Rabbi says that he draws a circle on the ground first, he then throws all the money up in the air, what lands inside the circle is for me he says, what lands outside the circle goes to God. The Priest says he has a similar method. The Priest draws a circle and throws the money up but what lands inside the circle goes to God and what lands outside the circle is for himself. The Televangelist says he has also throws the money into the air, whatever God wants he keeps, whatever comes back down, is mine! 

       Money itself is not what is evil. What is evil is the love of money. When money becomes your God and displaces the cross you agreed to carry, that is a problem. Money is a tool. As that inimitable character Dolly Madison Levi said, Money, pardon the expression, is like manure. It's not worth a thing unless it's spread around, encouraging young things to grow. Money is a good thing then, it depends on whether it becomes your only or main focus in life. What do you do with it when you have it?

       Today is the feast of St. Elizabeth of Hungary. By all accounts a woman of some means based on her dowry and marriage. Elizabeth spend her time and monies devoted to the poor and sick. If we are serious about trying to approach a 'tithe' in our own giving, Elizabeth gave it all.  Giving cash to the poor, 'dollaring' the basket at church is not quite enough. What do we do with our monies that can directly serve, help or witness to our fellow humans, to our world in fact?  Would we send clothing or supplies to the people in the pre-election caravan?  Can you afford to buy an extra item of food in each visit to the store to donate later to a food bank? Be imaginative.  I once bartered a boat trip that I had won to someone who wanted the trip; they in turn would supply diapers (that they would be send) to a home for troubled, pregnant youth. It seemed win win win win. The boat trip itself had also been donated for a good cause and I spent money on the auction that won the trip in the first place. 

        Money is not the root of all evil, the love of money is the root of all evil.   

Luke 16:10-18

 ‘Whoever is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much; and whoever is dishonest in a very little is dishonest also in much. If then you have not been faithful with the dishonest wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches? And if you have not been faithful with what belongs to another, who will give you what is your own? No slave can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.’

 The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all this, and they ridiculed him. So he said to them, ‘You are those who justify yourselves in the sight of others; but God knows your hearts; for what is prized by human beings is an abomination in the sight of God.

 ‘The law and the prophets were in effect until John came; since then the good news of the kingdom of God is proclaimed, and everyone tries to enter it by force. But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away, than for one stroke of a letter in the law to be dropped.

 ‘Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery, and whoever marries a woman divorced from her husband commits adultery.