Jesus looked around and said to his disciples,
"How hard it is for those who have wealth
to enter the Kingdom of God!"
Saint Francis of Assisi lived during that critical moment in European history as banking and money reappeared, after centuries of a barter economy augmented by theft, raiding and looting. In the thirteenth century emperors and kings, with the support of the pope and bishops, enjoyed enough respect to enforce the same laws they grudgingly observed. (You'll recall that King John signed the Magna Carta in 1215, during Francis' lifetime.) There had always been powerful people, especially those with military and religious power, but in the 13th century a new class of wealthy people developed. Despite their having neither military nor religious authority, they wielded great power with their bank accounts.
Francis Bernadone was born to that wealth but, by the grace of God, wanted no part of it. He had heard Jesus teaching,
"How hard it is for those who have wealth
to enter the Kingdom of God!"
When we consider the worth of money and its importance in our spiritual life -- it is very important -- we should recall the words of the Prophet Jeremiah:
Cursed is the one who trusts in human beings,
who seeks his strength in flesh,
whose heart turns away from the LORD.
Money is created by human beings, not by God, and it is worth only what human beings think it's worth -- and that varies by the hour. The one who trusts money is twice foolish for he sets himself apart from the very people who make money worth something. Of infinitely greater value are the people around this miser.
I have to suppose my readers are older than eleven; they should remember the crash of 2008. Billions of dollars vanished overnight. People went to bed rich and work up poor, or at least seriously stricken by something beyond anyone's control. Some were so attached to their money they committed suicide, pursuing their treasure into its cosmic emptiness. Never to be heard or seen again.
Jesus' warning is frank: "How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the Kingdom of God!"
The worth of money, despite the illusion of ownership, reminds us we're all in this together. Rich and poor alike participate. All have needs and all may contribute.
However, our truth worth -- i.e. our worthiness -- is known to God alone. It must be esteemed by others, and is certainly deeper than all our needs, desires and assets.
No one knew that better than the Poverello. Owning nothing, he gave everything he had to others freely as he relied for his personal needs on the generosity of others. Sometimes he went hungry. Sometimes he was homeless; sometimes he froze in the cold and suffered in the heat. These he also considered God's gifts. His poverty revealed the worth of everything to him. Everything in the universe of sun, moon, stars and mosquitoes sang of God's superabundant generosity.
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I love to write. This blog helps me to meditate on the Word of God, and I hope to make some contribution to our contemplations of God's Mighty Works.
Ordinarily, I write these reflections two or three weeks in advance of their publication. I do not intend to comment on current events.
I understand many people prefer gender-neutral references to "God." I don't disagree with them but find that language impersonal, unappealing and tasteless. When I refer to "God" I think of the One whom Jesus called "Abba" and "Father", and I would not attempt to improve on Jesus' language.
You're welcome to add a thought or raise a question.