GOD AND MONEY

Luke 16: 1-13

Well, hands down this may be the most confounding of all the gospel teachings. According to the commentaries this is the most difficult parable to understand. How is it that Jesus is telling a story of a rich man complimenting his disreputable manager whom he had fired, for scheming against him? Most of the commentaries try to make sense of this story by leaning into the culture of his time or specific translations of words. But on a site called Center for Excellence in Preaching I found an enlightening reflection by a young Canadian woman named Chelsey Harmon.

Chelsey points out that both the boss and his manager are cut from the same cloth, both are schemers and selfish businessmen. She says that “game recognizes game.” That what the manager is doing by sort of cheating the system to get one’s payday is an acceptable way of doing business to the folks Jesus refers to as “children of the age.”

She says that the shrewd manager and his boss serve money; they see the future the same way, they are comfortable with scamming others and expecting favors to be paid back. Chelsey says that there is honor among thieves, so these characters knew the game and therefore there was appreciation for the manager’s game. She finds the message that Jesus is telling here is one of association. Who we serve and who we associate with reflects what we want for the future. She writes that “Who you make friends with now is who will welcome you in the future. How you are faithful with what you have now will be the measure of trust you are given in the future. How you conduct yourself will show who your master is, and this most clearly applies to matters of money and wealth.”

Luke is the gospel author most in tune with the poor. He doesn’t sugar coat his condemnation of the rich and his care for those without. In this passage he is surely pointing out the corruption of this rich boss being owed these huge amounts by his debtors. One man owes him 100 jugs of oil and another 100 containers of wheat. These are big numbers so clearly this story Jesus is telling is of a rich man exploiting the laborers. Luke is again telling a story that raises awareness of the oppressive forces of the rich on the poor.  

But it is the last line of the passage that gets to the guts of it -  “You cannot serve God and money.”

I spent much of my life serving or chasing money. I like many felt that my success was proven by my bank account. I was an entrepreneur and was always aiming for the millions, not just paying the bills. I wanted to feel the power of a big bank account, the security, the accolades of an enormous amount of money. I was extremely ambitious and hungry to prove myself. I remember longing to be able to buy a $1500 purse. Imagine such lunacy, it is embarrassing to admit it. I also used to think that if I just had a million dollars then I could give back and be charitable. I didn’t have the time to show up for the church pantry days. I was way too busy chasing money.

Luckily, things didn’t work out as I hoped. Instead, I had sleepless nights as the pile of bills rose and the income shrank. I felt incredibly stressed and worried most all the time. I now think of this difficult time as what drove me to my knees and into the arms of Jesus.  

And now I live in a monastery under a lifetime vow of voluntary poverty and celibacy.  And I have never been happier.

When I first went to a monastery in 2004, I had spiritual direction with the kindest, wisest monk that I have ever known – Brother Eldridge. Everything about him was authentic. His easy laugh, his humility, his calm and joyful energy. I loved him from the moment I met him. And his guidance opened a window to God that forever changed my life. There is Greta before Eldridge and Greta after Eldridge.

I had made a trip to Society of Saint John the Evangelist monastery in Cambridge Massachusetts, as I was living in New York City then. I started writing down things Eldridge said as I saw that he was the holiest human being I had ever met. And one day in passing he commented on something someone said that stopped me in my tracks. There was a conversation at the one talking meal of the week with the monks – which is Sunday dinner – and someone was identifying an area by the size of the houses or in this case mansions. And Brother Eldridge simply and quietly said, “Oh, I would be embarrassed to live in one of those.”

And just like that the scales fell from my eyes.  Society tells us to want bigger and bigger homes, honestly more of everything. This brilliant man would be embarrassed to live in a mansion. Now of course the monastery he was living in was and is quite grand, but it is sustaining many monks and offering life-changing retreats to thousands of people every year, so it is a horse of a different color.

I felt instantly freed from the folly of seeking wealth. From the idolatry of worshiping money. I found liberation from the tyranny of accumulating wealth.  

One of my seminary professors once said, “All religion is meant to liberate us.”

And the teachings of Jesus are liberating.  

Lastly, I want to say something about the beauty of creation as we observe a special time of reverence for all that God has created. It is simply this, savor the good. We now know that our brains can change and can become healthier by simply savoring the good. If we spend our time thinking about resentments or annoyances or how unfair things are, these thoughts become our default setting. But neuroscientists tell us that by simply changing the channel from the negative to the positive we can rewire our brains.

So, the next time you observe something beautiful like Morro Rock, savor the beauty for at least 5 seconds. Let it take your breath away. Let the beauty of the night sky saturate your very being and after some time maybe you will find yourself a little happier, a little more peaceful.

I invite the men in my groups in prison to heal their brains with this simple practice. I ask them to find beauty and savor it. Or to cherish a moment on the phone with their loved ones and let it touch their hearts.

The beauty of creation can heal us. So just remember, stop and take a moment to savor the good. Amen.

Sister Greta