Mt 6:24-34 Mammon vs. God

Saturday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time

(Click here for readings)

Jesus said to his disciples:  “No one can serve two masters.  He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other.  You cannot serve God and mammon.”

What the heck is Mammon? 

Well, very early on it simply meant “wealth” and “greed.”  Later on, it took on the form of a deity.  In the Middle Ages Mammon was portrayed as a full blown demon. 

It is safe to say that this word has never meant anything good.  It has never lost its significance or meaning, not even in our modern era, for as long as modern man yearns to take more and more from the little guy, a big deal known as Mammon will be alive and well and affecting all of our lives.

O you of little faith.  This is where all our problems begin.  “O you [yeah YOU!] of little faith.” 

Lord, increase my faith!  Allow me to have faith in you: in all that is true, good and beautiful.  Allow me to trust in your ways at all times.  Allow me to trust in your commands. 

Those who tend to have little faith in Jesus Christ tend towards Mammon.  It doesn’t matter what position you hold or who you are.  It doesn’t matter if you are a priest, bishop, Apostle, disciple, preacher or minister.  It doesn’t matter.  Those who tend to have little faith in Jesus Christ tend towards sins and sinners.  And not only that:  they also tend to get increasingly bitter towards Jesus Christ.

All these things the pagans seek.  Jesus said to his disciples:  “So do not worry and say, ‘What are we to eat?’ or ‘What are we to drink?’ or ‘What are we to wear?’  All these things the pagans seek.”  Wow!  Talk about God being relevant and up-to-date with our problems.  God doesn’t need to change.  The Church doesn’t need to change.  Why? Because we haven’t changed!  We’re still suffering from the same-old sins our ancestors suffered from.

What are we to eat?  Every time I turn on the T.V. I see more weight loss advertisements than any other advertisements (except for gold) combined.  We are definitely obsessed with food.  We are definitely worrywarts about what we eat, and we should be.  We are an obese nation.  But what I worry about more than obesity is the negative impact weight loss has on people:  they become arrogant!  They become foolhardy.  They become selfish, superficial and downright flirty!  They think they own the pool only because they can finally feel good about themselves. They think they deserve everybody’s glances and stares because they can finally fit in their swimsuit!  Give me a break.

What we wear?  I take it all back!  It’s not that we are obsessed with food.  We are not!  In fact, we could care less about what we eat (isn’t that the reason why there are so many weight loss programs out there???)  No, the problem isn’t that we want to eat right.  The problem is that we are obsessed with looking great!  And we are obsessed with looking great because we really believe that this will make us happy.

But the data shows otherwise.  By all accounts, we are off the charts when it comes to choices in clothes, drink and food…and yet…we are far below the charts when it comes to personal happiness and peace. 

Now the problem with Christianity is that it isn't filled with quick fixes or  gimmicks, but with honest-to-God goodness.  And we all know that good things don't always come in beautiful packages.

There's nothing wrong with wanting to look good, feel good and be good.  But diet programs and AA will always fail us unless there is a real change of heart and mind in each of us.   

Maybe we should take stock in what Christ said:   Seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides.