7-26-22 - Greed

You can listen to this reflection here.

In our gospel story for Sunday, Jesus is approached by a man whose brother has received their father’s full inheritance and isn’t inclined to share it. And just as he refused to get pulled into a sibling conflict with Martha and Mary, Jesus displays clear boundaries here. He’s not as interested in whether or not the younger brother gets his share of the legacy as he is in his priorities and the health of his soul:

But he said to him, “Friend, who set me to be a judge or arbitrator over you?” And he said to them, “Take care! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of possessions.”

What if that verse were plastered all over the financial centers of the world, and tony residential neighborhoods, and on shopping sites? Why, the world economy might come crashing down upon itself. (But wait, doesn’t it often seem close to doing that anyway?) How many people do you know who live as though accumulating possessions and securing their financial future is exactly what life consists of?

I’ll hold the judgment, for I make more than I need and am invested in securing my future too. Looking around, I am keenly aware of the abundance of my possessions. Sure, I give away a fair amount, but that’s not the point. The point is where our deepest priorities lie. How much of our time and energy go into acquiring things and keeping track of what we have? What would we let go of if someone we loved needed it? How much money would we part with? How many possessions? How simply are we willing to live?

These questions are intertwined, for living simply can be a choice we make because we realize someone else needs our stuff more than we do, or because we want to lower our overhead in order to release more funds to people who need them. We get to the point where we’re willing to part with our stuff not only for people whom we love, but for people we don’t even know.

It comes down to what questions we’re asking of ourselves: How much do I need to feel secure, or how much can I release to feel free? Am I living by fear or living by faith? Greed and faith cannot occupy the same space. As much room as we give to one, the less there is for the other.

Or, as I once read in an interview with the actor John Heard, “When you’re living by fear, you’re always looking for security. When you’re living by faith, you’re always looking for freedom.” It is for freedom God has made us free.

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