Psalm 62: “In you alone is my soul at rest. My help comes from you.”

“You cannot give yourself to God and money” (Luke 16:13). After hearing this from Jesus, Luke tells us, the Pharisees “began to deride him.” No other Gospel records so much opposition between the teaching of Jesus and our concern for material goods. We might not “deride” Jesus but we certainly feel at times that this railing about the dangers of wealth is a bit exaggerated. Jesus, however, is unrelenting on the issue and, anticipating our objections, says: “What man thinks important, God holds in contempt” (v. 15). Our values and those of our society are not God's.

In our day a similar message comes to us from those who warn us against unrestrained consumerism, against the irresponsible use of our world's resources. (Hear Francis!)

One way to begin to enter into this teaching of Jesus would be to think of what we could get along without rather than looking for ways to accumulate things. (Do I know what I am saying? This is certainly counter-cultural during this pre-Christmas season!) Some would put it, “Small is beautiful” or “Less is more.”

Such attitudes are not only good for this earth, our universe, but can help us to turn our attention and energy to the life within, to life in Christ, to our relation to God. “What we think important, God holds in contempt.”

Psalm 27: “I believe I shall see the Lord’s goodness / in the land of the living.
Wait for the Lord; be strong; / be stouthearted, and wait for the Lord!”

Reply to Fr. Don at: DTalafous@csbsju.edu

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