In this section you can find a daily commentary on the Gospel of the Day.

Monday 17 August 2020

Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time

Word for today
The Gospel of Matthew 19:16-22

Difficult

For this generation, religion, culture, relationships, work, entertainment, health, human rights, justice, politics, laws have not generated even a fraction of the capability of involvement and force of attraction exercised by money. No religious dogma, political constitution, cultural philosophy has had the same approval and adherence to the human heart as money. For this generation, time is money, fun is money, traveling is money, staying healthy is money, treating diseases is money, sports is money, study is money, planning is money, war is money, making peace is money.   The rules dictated by money have fully subjugated politics, religions, research and scientific discoveries, cultures, relationships, morals, pharmacology, medicine, the way we travel, communicate, work and educate. At the same time this generation eagerly accepted the rule that business is business, it also accepted that money has the power to do anything and achieve any goal, with the obvious consequence that in the name of money anyone can do anything using any means. Money's great attraction comes from the fact that it is a convention invented out of nothing by the banking system, a convention that allows us to pay everything we need to live without ever paying in person everything that we need to live. The enormous collective illusion about money lies in the fact that it is an ingrained belief that money is a means to achieve everything we need or want. Throughout its history money has never been a means, not even for a second, it has always been the end, the ultimate end of everything. That is how money has become the first principle and purpose of everything, it has become god. Money is the only god that has no enemies, detractors, persecutors in any religion, political system, culture, moral, constitution, law and morality. By entirely abandoning itself to money and its influence, this generation has chosen a path guaranteed to lead to self-destruction, a controlled self-destruction, capillary and methodical. Money does not work miracles, it does not cure anyone, it has no wisdom, it neither generates nor gives love, it has no compassion, it does not teach how to live in a happy, healthy way, it does not produce joy in anyone, it does not honor or dignify, it cannot have relationships with anyone, it does not communicate anything, and yet no one ever swears at it, puts it on the cross, humiliates, ridicules or condemns it.
This generation has really only one god and that god entertains it, keeps it busy, preoccupies it, keeps it hanging on edge, excites it. Instead, when the other God, the real One, speaks He is considered  obsolete, when He prophesies He makes people uncomfortable, when He teaches He is considered boring, when He suggests that we give our money to the poor He causes mortal sadness. What should we do with this God-Jesus, the true One, the one whose absurd, incomprehensible words made the young man in the gospel, so well disposed to the spirituality and devotion, go away sadly? What should we do with this God-Jesus, the true One, who with His impractical and senseless proposal fills with bitterness and disappointment the soul of this young man of good family, with high hopes, so deeply respectful of the law from the time of his childhood, a conscientious, disciplined, observant,  diligent man?  What should we do with this God-Jesus, the true One? The only solution is to put Him on the cross, so that at least He can pay with His person for everyone.