Our readings this week concern social responsibility and the worship of material wealth, or what is referred to as “dishonest wealth” a term that places earthly material wealth in direct opposition to “heavenly treasure”.

Amos sets us on with a warning which addresses hypocrisy and is intended to be heard by the merchants whose greed has caused them to “trample” and “destroy” the poor and needy.  These wicked merchants cannot wait for the holy days to be over, the Sabbath and the new moon, so they can resume taking advantage of, and cheating the people.  Amos reminds them, “The Lord has sworn by the pride of Jacob:  Never will I forget a think they have done.”

In St. Paul’s letter to Timothy we are encouraged to pray often and fervently for “kings and for all in authority,”.  We need to pray for the political system which has much influence over our daily lives is supposed to be a stable social order which is the basis for tranquil living.  “…men should pray, lifting up holy hands, without anger or argument.” 

The Gospel is a confusing story of a man’s steward who squanders his masters property.  The master tells him that he can no longer be the steward and must make a full accounting of his stewardship.  This man does something very odd…he calls his masters debtors, those that owe the master money, and makes deals with them, reducing their debt owed to the master.  The steward forgave a portion of each debt thus making for himself friends of the merchants.  The steward is commended in this parable not for his dishonesty but for his resourcefulness.  The idea we are to understand is that if we applied such resourcefulness to spreading the Gospel it would flourish greatly!  We are instructed to use the wealth of this world to help others, and admonished that we cannot serve two gods, God and MONEY.  To forsake God for money is idolatry to money.  To use our worldly wealth for the work of God, to help the needy and the poor is what we are instructed to do, and to make friends with this earthly wealth by using it in this way. 

Enslavement to money is a form of idolatry that can only be avoided if we hold LIGHTLY to money and wealth and share it, giving GOD priority in our lives!

The Psalm this week is Psalm 113: Praise the Lord Who Lifts Up the Poor 

Have a blessed week!