Mamonàs
The Greek term mamonàs reproduces the emphatic state mamòna of the Aramaic common noun mamòn. The etymology of the word is uncertain. The most probable origin is the Semitic root 'mn, "what one trusts." Other possible translations are: "what is deposited," "what is put in a safe place." That term was not utilized in the Old Testament; it was, however, part of the Jewish language because it is present in texts like the Talmud and in the legal language of the Mishna. Mamòn is defined here as the "heritage," not only with reference to money but also to all that one owns and that can be sold and transformed into money. It refers to possession of objects, and often, in the Jewish world, it was used in opposition to the term nefèsh, which means life. Mamòn was also used to refer to the money utilized to bribe a judge during a trial or to blackmail money. Mamòn had, therefore, a negative connotation for the Jews, indicating censure, criticism, something dishonorable, despicable. Mamòn was always used in opposition to the anawìm, that is, those who found all their strength in God, those who relied on God alone. Those who belonged to Mamòn were people who relied on the goods of the earth, they were the rich and the powerful, persons who, like violent predators, achieved that status using unjust despotic means.
In the Gospel that term is used only by Jesus who opposes it directly to God, thus defining, without any possible misleading interpretation, the two possible absolute lord-masters of human life. God, non-possession, who becomes gift and gratuitousness and mamòn, possession, which becomes attachment and retaining.
Regardless of which lord-master you have decided to serve, one thing is certain: those two masters cannot be chosen or served by the same heart at the same time. They are opposite entities generating opposite energies with one always excluding the other. He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. It is possible to choose to abandon onself and to rely on God or to rely on mammon, which in turn becomes god.
When you serve someone, you become a part of his reign, you accept his rules, procedures, objectives, principles. In this context, if we look around at the situation that exists today we can see that the vast majority of people, living in dire poverty without even basic necessities, find themselves serving mammon and hateing God without even being aware of it. This state of affairs favors and promotes the efforts of the powerful predators, the benefits group . When the poor will be moved to recognize this deception to which they are chained and to free themselves from attachment and the fear of losing the little they could lose, in a few minutes the powerful of the earth will see the castle of their wealth and power collapse.
Humanity does not need wars and protests to restore harmony and justice, all that is needed is a new awareness inspired by Gospel teaching.