Corrupted by money
The story is told that Mark Twain was once asked why he was not in favor of polygamy. His simple response was: “No man can serve two masters.”
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In today’s Gospel (Lk. 16, 1-13), Jesus tells us that we cannot serve two masters—God and money. We have to make a choice to “hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other.” The bottom line is that we have, and we serve only one Master in this life.
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And so, it is that there are people who make the pursuit of money their lifetime achievement and passion. Even in serving God, we need money, but let us be careful because the lure of money is very, very strong, and half-truths and rationalizations can make us go wrong.
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Money, per se, is not bad, but our desire for money can make us greedy, selfish and worldly. Worse, when money goes into our pockets, and into our heads, we soon may get contaminated with dishonesty, pride and arrogance. And when money goes into our very hearts, then, money has become our God.
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Has money corrupted you? Has your wealth made you think or feel that you are more privileged and more entitled? Has your outlook toward people been blurred by the color of money? Has money made you believe that everything and everyone has a price in this life, and that even God and heaven can somehow be bought? If so, then money has really corrupted you.
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Think about this: “The mathematics of life is not the multiplication of wealth, but the division of goods, subtraction of pride and greed, and the addition of humility, and service to God and to His people.”
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They say that at the gate of heaven, we will all have to pass through the final immigration where our papers will be checked. What will matter then will not be our titles, our color, our religion, nor the affiliations attached to our names, but the love in our hearts, and the goodness in our hands. May we live life as servants of God, and as good and honest stewards of His blessings.
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The other gate we have to go through in heaven is the final customs office where our luggage will be checked, and we will be made to explain if we are carrying dirty and unshared money. Wealth earned with dishonesty, or with violence will be used against us; likewise, money that was amassed and not shared for the good of others. Our dishonesty and selfishness will be our greatest liability when we finally meet God someday.
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I remember an incident when we were at the Batanes airport waiting for our flight to Manila. We were told that all checked-in luggage had to be off-loaded because of weight consideration. It was a choice between bringing our luggage, or not making it to our destination. We, too, are to make a choice: We hold on to our worldly attachments and wealth, or not make it to heaven. It’s your call. It’s your choice.
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Sharing with you a text message that was passed on to me: “No point in using limited life to chase unlimited money; no point in earning so much money for which you cannot live long enough to spend; no point in using your health to gain wealth, and using your wealth to regain health; no point in working so hard to provide for people with whom you have no time to spend; happiness is not in having much, but in having little needs.”
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A few days ago, I lost my voice. How difficult it is not to be heard, not to be understood, and to be unable to express oneself. Well, I consoled myself with the thought that this was temporary for me, while for some husbands, this was something permanent. Kidding aside, we praise God that we as a Filipino nation are finding our voice again to express our indignation against corruption, and to tell those who are supposed to serve and speak for us that becoming rich is not their job. Come, Holy Spirit, upon our nation, heal our land and cleanse our public servants.
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Think about this: There are some saints whose bodies have remained incorrupt long after they have died; and there are some people who are corrupt while they are still alive.
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A moment with the Lord:
Lord, help us not to be corrupted by money. Amen.
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