The message of economic justice woven through today’s readings challenges me—and probably you as well—calling into question the role worldly wealth plays in our lives. Luke’s Gospel concludes with Jesus’ pronouncement: “No servant can serve two masters… You cannot serve both God and mammon (wealth).” Still today, Jesus is asking us: Are you committed to the ways of this world or to the ways of God? It cannot be both.
But how do we discern the difference when the line between the two so often seems blurred? For example, my wife and I have two children that we love with all our hearts. And like any parents, we want to provide them with every opportunity for growth and wellbeing. We plan and save as best we can, seeking long-term security for our family – we have our rainy day fund, our college funds and so forth. Is this accumulation serving mammon or serving God?
When I reflect on this question in prayer, I am drawn to Jesus’ parable of the mustard seed, with the smallest and humblest of seeds growing into the kingdom of God (Luke 13:18-19). We know this transformation does not happen overnight, and yet, happen it must! Striving to serve God with this parable in mind, a guiding question for our lives might be: Are our resources and choices oriented toward nourishing God’s kingdom of life, love, and justice or are they opposed to it? Each act of care, generosity, and attention to the vulnerable—whether our children, our neighbors, or the marginalized—waters that seed and helps the kingdom grow. Caring for our children is indeed part of that kingdom, but it is not the whole of it. True service asks us to balance family security with love for the wider community, especially the poor. By asking these questions time and time again, we slowly begin to live into the kingdom of God.
And so, the work before us is twofold: to keep turning toward God’s vision of justice, asking “Am I using my possessions to build the kingdom?” And at the same time, to remain tender and merciful with one another on this long journey, trusting that even our small, imperfect efforts nurture the kingdom. Thankfully, our God is patient. Christ sets before us the choice of where our hearts must rest, yet walks beside us when we stumble, lifting us with love and encouraging us forward.
This week, may we likewise encourage one another in this work: striving for God’s kingdom of justice, treating each other with mercy, and leaning always on God’s grace.
