Scripture readings for today's reflection can be found at Friday of the Twenty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time | USCCB
In our first reading for today from St.Paul’s first letter to Timothy, we hear Paul continue to teach on how to live
out a life as a Christian. We are to remain focused not on the riches of this
world, but on things spiritual. We are to continue to look to Jesus as the
example of how to live out our lives in love of God and love of neighbor.
St. Paul is reminding us to not to worry
about accumulating money or material wealth. Paul clearly teaches that the love
of money is the root of all evils. If we’re more worried about accumulating
wealth and objects than about loving and serving God and helping those in our
families and those in need, we have strayed from how God wants us to live our
lives. Paul goes on to say that those who want to be rich will fall into the
trap that will lead them to ruin and destruction.
Paul is teaching us that love of God
should always be the center of who we are. There’s a saying that goes, “God
will provide.” And certainly, God does indeed provide all our needs. All we
need to do is to trust in him to provide for us.
Does this mean that we should be
careless with the financial blessings the Lord has given us? Certainly not. We
all have a certain amount of income that we are blessed with, thanks be to God,
and we are to be responsible with the money and property we have accumulated
over the course of our lives. But the money and accumulations we have been
blessed with are not to replace our love for God and the love we are to show to
others in our lives. We are to use the
money we have as a way of caring for ourselves and for those others God placed
in our lives. As God has blessed us with certain financial blessings, we are to
use these blessings to give glory and praise to God by using it in a way pleasing
to God. Further we are to be generous with our money to certain charities that care
for the poor and needy in our community.
Today’s reading from St. Paul to Timothy
concludes with encouragement to live out our lives in pursuit of righteousness,
devotion, faith, love, patience, and gentleness. Living in this way, with Jesus
at the center of all we do, will lead us to greater glory and praise of God.
From Arlene B. Muller
ReplyDeleteI always say & seek to live by the saying that when GOD blesses us (& that especially refers to when GOD blesses us financially), once we provide for our basic needs & use some for security & a little for enjoyment, we are supposed to use out blessings to help others.
From Arlene B. Muller
ReplyDeleteI think that one of the greatest joys in life is to be able to share our gifts & blessings with others. When I was blessed with my inheritance when my parents' house was sold after both my parents died (Dad in 2014 & Mom in 2019) I finally was freed from debt & a lot of tough financial times in which I had experienced GOD helping me in little ways to get me through.
After paying off all my credit cards I was so happy to be able to increase my contributions to my parish & various charities gradually & to be able to help friends in need. There is really so much joy in giving!
If someone legitimately has a need & another person has much more than the means to support himself/herself & any family for whom he/she is responsible for necessities, security & even some for enjoyment, there really should be no problem & little or no hesitation to help with that person with a legitimate need!
In recent years I have heard about people with have a large abundance of wealth & material possessions who are so unwilling to help even family members--even siblings with the cost of necessary medication & even the cost of a funeral Mass & proper burial! I really cannot understand why they put money about love of family & even above GOD! To me it makes no sense & I have to feel sorry that despite the happiness that comes from enjoying possessions they obviously have little faith, little love & no true joy in their lives! They exemplify what evil the love of money can do! They are betraying the trust of the LORD Who blessed & entrusted them with the blessing of wealth!