Greed for Money

Today, greed for money, together with greed for power, is one of the chief causes of human misery. No wonder our Lord put as his first beatitudes;” Blessed are the poor in spirit.” Poverty in spirit is the opposite of greed for money, for it means detachment from material things coupled with trust in God as the only Savior.

People cheat other people for money. They betray friends for money. Members of the same family – sometimes parents and children quarrel and sue each other in court over money.

Jesus was very well aware that money would rival God in the eyes of many people. That is why he warned “No man can serve two masters, you cannot serve God and money”. He himself was the victim of greed. In the end, He was betrayed for thirty pieces of silver by Judas.

It takes real grace to see the seduction of money and the emptiness of its promises. Aspiring politicians have heard of the sad end of Ferdinand Marcos, and other dictators whose billions benefit only the Swiss banks but not those who robbed their own people. And yet given the opportunity, how many will resist the temptation to take advantage of one’s public trust?

In the song Hello Dolly, it says “Money my dear is like manure. It is good for nothing unless it is spread around to make your things grow.” Many of us are rather more fascinated by the manure and love to store it, more than to share