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THE FOUNDATIONAL PRINCIPLE OF SERVING AND GLORIFYING GOD DETERMINES HOW WE USE OUR RE - stephenkhoo - 09-22-2013 12:36 PM
THE FOUNDATIONAL PRINCIPLE OF SERVING AND GLORIFYING GOD DETERMINES HOW WE USE OUR RESOURCES
SCRIPTURE READINGS: Amos 8:4-7; 1 Tim 2:1-8; Lk 16:1-13
Today, the world values creativity, resourcefulness, foresight, and shrewdness. However, they have only one purpose in mind. They are concerned with profits and remuneration. Few are concerned with the social implications, fewer still with ethical values. In a competitive world, unscrupulous means are employed to win contracts or eliminate competitors. Hence, creativity and craftiness is highly valued.
What are the consequences? When the pursuit of “maximum profit” is above ethical values, the poor suffers, as Amos tells us. “By lowering the bushel, raising the shekel, by swindling and tampering with the scales, we can buy up the poor for money, and the needy for a pair of sandals, and get a price even for the sweepings of the wheat.” Such practices still exist today, of course, in new forms of cheating and manipulating the consumers’ needs. The rich monopolize everything and consumers are at their mercy. The rich become so powerful that they buy over the poor and politicians. As a result, we get corrupt civil servants and governments who care for their interests and that of the rich rather than the people’s interest.
In truth, creativity, resourcefulness and people with foresight are also greatly sought by the Church as well. Surely we need priests and church leaders, lay or religious who are talented in teaching and have good leadership skills such as creativity and initiative. This explains why “the master praised the dishonest steward for his astuteness. For the children of this world are more astute in dealing with their own kind than are the children of light.”
However, unlike the selfish and dishonest steward, we must use the talents, especially our creativity and resources, entrusted to us for the service of building up the kingdom of God and the Church of Christ. They must be put to good use, for the service of humanity and not for selfish gains; for the promotion of the higher values of human living and the true growth and full development of the community. Jesus reminds us, “The man who can be trusted in little things can be trusted in great; the man who is dishonest in little things will be dishonest in great.”
As an example of that little thing, Jesus spoke of money. He said, “If then you cannot be trusted with money that tainted thing, who will trust you with genuine riches? And if you cannot be trusted with what is not yours, who will give you what is your very own?” Indeed, what could be more valuable than love and friendship? Money is neither good nor evil. It is our love for money that is the root of all evils because it blinds us to justice and love. Money is only a means to an end. Money cannot bring us happiness in itself. That is why money that is acquired must quickly be used. Money is called currency because it is useful only when it is in circulation. Money kept in the bank is frozen. Misers are miserable people because they can only enjoy looking at their bank balance grow but they cannot spend it.
But money can bring real happiness when it is spent especially for doing good works. That is why it must be invested. But money should not be invested only for monetary returns. We must invest them for the promotion and increase of love, unity and happiness. Money must be spent on personal growth, education and service to the poor. Money is meant to create friendships and promote unity and love. Indeed, possess money and money will possess us.
Thus Jesus advised us, “use money, tainted as it is, to win you friends, and thus make sure that when it fails you, they will welcome you into the tents of eternity.” All talents, wealth in all its forms, personal or material, must be used for our sanctification. This is the great thing, the genuine riches that have been entrusted to us are for our salvation. No price can be attached to our sharing in the life of God. We are not only working for this world but for eternal life. We are called to make ourselves rich in virtues not just materially rich. And even if we are blessed with riches and wealth, it is for a greater purpose, for the extension of the kingdom of God.
How then can we act rightly? We have to come back to the foundational principle and decision to serve God or mammon. “No servant can be the slave of two masters: he will either hate the first and love the second, or treat the first with respect and the second with scorn. You cannot be the slave both of God and of money.” We cannot compromise with regard to this fundamental option. The Jews especially the religious leaders tried to compromise. They believed that riches are compatible with the love of God. For them wealth is a sign of God’s blessings and therefore holiness. A rich man is therefore a godly man; the poor are sinners and thus cursed by God. This too is the thinking of those who preach the prosperity gospel. But wealth is given to us so that we might be stewards for the service of humankind not for our selfish aggrandizement.
In the Spiritual Exercises of St Ignatius, in “the Foundation: fact and practice”, we are reminded that in any discernment, we must first make a positive desire to serve God and do everything for the glory of God. We must place God as the foundation principle in spiritual life. He tells us “all the things in this world are gifts of God, created for us, to be the means by which we can come to know him better, love him more surely, and serve him more faithfully. As a result, we ought to appreciate and use these gifts of God insofar as they help us toward our goal of loving service and union with God.”
Consequently, “in everyday life, then, we should keep ourselves indifferent or undecided in the face of all created gifts when we have an option and we do not have the clarity of what would be a better choice. We ought not to be led on by our natural likes and dislikes even in matters such as health or sickness, wealth or poverty … but insofar as any created things hinder our progress toward our goal, we ought to let them go … Rather our desire and our one choice should be that option which better leads us to the goal for which God created us.” So if we have more talents, more is demanded from us. If we are rich, we have an obligation to help the poor. If we have no money, surely we have hands to serve.
Today, the liturgy gives us a few examples of how we should commit ourselves to God. Christ is the exemplar in using His resources and talents for the service of His Father. He gave Himself as a ransom for us. As St Paul says, “For there is only one God, and there is only one mediator between God and mankind, himself a man, Christ Jesus, who sacrificed himself as a ransom for them all.”
St Paul is another exemplar of being a spokesman for truth. Paul was known was his zeal, knowledge, singular-mindedness and energy in persecuting the Church. After his conversion, God used the charisms of Paul for the preaching of the gospel and to be “a teacher of the faith” and the apostle of “truth to the pagans.” Prophet Amos too was courageous in denouncing injustices without regard for his safety. He used his prophetic gift for the service of the poor and oppressed. Hence, he spoke out without fear against the injustices of his days.
Today, we have Christians involved in humanitarian works, e.g. UNICEF, Caritas, human rights organizations, women organizations and migrants support groups. There are lawyers, doctors and professionals offering free legal and medical service to the poor. We have conscientious Christians who stand up for the rights of the poor, the marginalized and the oppressed. We have civic-minded Christians who witness to the values of the gospel in their family life, their place of work and in doing business.
If we want to follow their examples, we must pray for discernment as to how we should use our talents and resources for the service of God. Paul said, “in every place, then, I want the men to lift their hands up reverently in prayer, with no anger or argument.” But most of all, we must pray for all those in positions of influence. St Paul wrote, “there should be prayers offered for everyone – petitions, intercessions and thanksgiving – and especially for kings and others in authority, so that we may be able to live religious and reverent lives in peace and quiet.” Why? Because the decisions our leaders, be they civil, political or economic, make will affect not just our material well-being but also the ethical and moral lives of our people, ultimately our salvation. In the final analysis, in all that we do it must be for the greater good of humanity and for the glory of God.