25TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

Those who want to be rich are falling into temptation.

Today seems to be “money day” in our readings! At the end of the first reading, St. Paul warns against falling into harmful desires, especially the desire to be rich (1 Timothy 6:9). Then, Psalm 49 reminds us not to be envious when we see someone else growing rich because “when he dies, he shall take none of it” (49:18). Finally, in the Gospel, we hear of the women who provided for Jesus and his disciples “out of their resources” (Luke 8:3).

So let’s look at how we think about money—especially since today’s readings kind of bring us full circle.

Paul’s advice to Timothy raises the central issue. The problem, as Paul sees it, seems to be in our desires. When he warns against the temptations and fallout of wanting “to be rich” (1 Timothy 6:9), the Greek word he uses is plouteo. But that doesn’t just mean wanting to be financially secure; it also means desiring an overabundance and the best that money can buy. It doesn’t just mean wanting more than we need; it also means wanting what someone else has. And that can become a trap for us.

The psalm provides a sort of antidote to these disordered desires. It tells us that seeing someone else become rich should not distress us or make us grasp more for ourselves. The rich may boast in “the abundance of their riches” (Psalm 49:7), but they will be disappointed. Why? Because material wealth is temporary. It does not follow us into the afterlife (49:18), and it certainly cannot save us (49:8-9).

Today’s Gospel gives us an example of what a healthy relationship to money can look like. The women who supported Jesus were wealthy; they clearly had abundant “resources” (Luke 8:3). But their generosity with the gifts God had given them shows that they were not driven by the desire to attain more just for the sake of having more (8:3). They used money as a tool by freely sharing it to support Jesus and his ministry.

How does God want you to think about money? Remember that you can’t take it with you. So be content with what you have, and be as generous as you are able.

“Lord, I want to think about money the way you do.”

1 Timothy 6:2-12
Psalm 49:6-10, 17-20
Luke 8:1-3