“You cannot serve God and mammon.” (Luke 16:15).
There is a difference between wealth and greed.
Some of the wealthiest people that I know are very generous and others are very greedy.
Mammon is a Biblical term that means greed or an unbalanced fixation on material wealth… I have been thinking that there is perhaps an element of greed associated with every conceivable sin. Eve could have been arguably called greedy for wanting to have knowledge that she was being asked to refrain from, Cain killed Abel because he was jealous – or greedy – of God’s favour of Abel and not of him… And, of course, Judas greedily betrayed God Himself for a mere 30 pieces of silver.
And today, as I reflect on it, it seems to me that every single sin can be drawn back to greed. I am greedy for my own will and everything that I tell myself that it would bring for me and for this reason I commit all manner of sins in seeking to assert my own will on the world rather than God’s Holy Will….
“Jesus said to his disciples, ‘No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.’” (Luke 16:9-15).
And I have been reflecting on that today. Because it seems to me that this greed, this mammon, is the thing that always gets in the way. I get something and I want something more. I earn something and that is not enough for me, I am still pushing onwards to see what else I can earn.
And as I think of this, I can see the value in a vow of poverty. For when a person makes a vow of poverty, they are quite literally choosing only one Master – and without compromise… That person is making a conscious decision to get rid of all the distractions and chose the ONE Master who counts…
Once, Christ on a Crucifix spoke to Saint Thomas Aquinas, saying, “You have spoken well of Me, Thomas, what should be your reward?” The Saint responded… “Nil nisi te, Domine.”, which means “Nothing but You, O Lord.”.
And that is the whole point isn’t it? “Nothing by You, O Lord.” Nothing at all.
And today as I consider these words and this idea, it seems to me that this is the start of the rest of my life – this decision in this moment that the ONLY thing that I need (or could ever need) as a reward from God is God Himself…
For if I could just learn to understand such a thing I would just be able to use the words of Saint Thomas Aquinas and I would be able to pray the only prayer that I should ever pray… “Nothing but You, O Lord.”… “Nothing but You…”
For with prayer, I stand on Holy Ground where everything is clear. Here. At the Foot of the Cross.
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