An article
in yesterday’s Kansas City Business News said
that most people worth $1-5 million dollars do not feel wealthy; indeed, they
are not sure that they have enough to continue to live comfortably as they go
into retirement. Living with fear that
their money will run out saps the joy out of what, by most reasonable
standards, is a cosseted lifestyle.
Yet, they are not alone. Many of us think that if we “just made a
little bit more,” then our economic challenges would go away. We also believe that if we worried less about
money, we would be happier.
There have been some interesting
studies of late seeking to index at what level of income happiness
increases. One study from Princeton
University suggests that $75,000 is the threshold, and no matter how much more than
this figure people make, they do not report any greater degree of
happiness. The lower a person’s annual
income falls below that benchmark, the unhappier he or she feels—for good
reason if one cannot support one’s household.
As important as our livelihood is,
it is not the ultimate determiner of well being. Enjoying loving relationships with God and
others is the better measure.
Jesus had a great deal to say about
money, and in the Gospel reading for next Sunday, he warns against greed, “for
one’s life does not consist in the abundance of possessions” (Luke 12:15b). The parable of the “rich fool” portrays the
hold that resources can have on one’s life.
Having insufficient space to store his abundant crops, he pulls down his
barns and builds larger ones. Rather
than sharing his overflow, he seeks to protect it to secure his life.
The outcome of the parable is
stark; God demands an ultimate reckoning of the intent of the rich man’s
life. Jesus concludes with: “So it is
with those who store up treasures for themselves but are not rich toward God”
(v. 21).
Our lives simply cannot be reduced
to what we accumulate in this life.
Becoming “rich toward God” is the goal, and we demonstrate this passion
in caring for the “least of these.”
Much of the enthusiasm for Pope
Francis is because of his personal humility and deep care for the poor. His call to simplicity can refresh his
church, indeed the wider Body of Christ as we learn where our treasure lies.
Molly T. Marshall
To learn more about Central as a
formative, creative, and progressive seminary, continue visiting our website.
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