MONEY?
WHAT’S YOUR TAKE ON MONEY?

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily is, “Money? What’s Your Take on Money?”

Money is funny. Money is tricky. Money opens doors. Money shuts doors and mouths and consciences. Money is tempting. Money is necessary. Money gets folks in trouble. Money makes life easier – but sometimes money makes life more difficult. Money? What’s your take on money, honey?

When I began working as a priest – after 9 ½ years of studies after high school – I soon realized I knew nothing. I slowly learned that’s true for lots of people. Young people today – as well as some methods of education – have apprenticeships – but most of us learn on the job – and hopefully our education prepared us on how to learn.

One evening – that first week – in my first assignment as a priest– a young couple came in to see me to plan ahead for their marriage. I said to them – sort of accidentally – “I read in the paper today – The New York Daily News – that the 3 big problems in marriage are: money, sex and in-laws.”

And they said, “Oh!”

And that’s all they said. So I guess they too were going to have to learn if that was true or what have you.

It’s now 45 years later – do they or do I know any more now than we knew back then?

For myself, sometimes I say, “Yes!” and sometimes I say, “No!”

And what ever happened to Harry and Frances? All I remember was that they were in a motor cycle club: the Hell’s Angels – and that’s how they went off on their honeymoon.

Today, in this homily, I’m concentrating on money – because that’s an issue that comes up in today’s gospel and first reading.

Money? What’s Your Take on Money?

ALWAYS OR OFTEN TALKING ABOUT MONEY?

Did you ever notice that Jesus often talks about money?

I’ve heard that about different priests down through the years – but Jesus – was he always talking about money?

No – but listen to this comment I read yesterday in preparing this homily, “Jesus talked about money in 16 out of 38 of His parables; and 1 out of 10 verses in the Gospels. The Bible devotes 500 verses to prayer, less than 500 verses to faith; but over 2,000 verses to money and possessions.”

I’m not going to check out those numbers – but come to think about it – there are many references to money in the gospels and the rest of the Bible. Last week we heard about the lost coin and the Prodigal Son who got his half of the inheritance – early – and quickly squandered it all. Next Sunday we’re going to hear about the Rich Man who never noticed the poor man, Lazarus, at his gate – and the Rich Man ends up in hell and the poor man in heaven. And today we have the story of a steward who took care of his master’s property – but was ripping off his boss – and then cheating even more to set himself up for when he finds himself out of work.

Some find this gospel confusing. I don’t. I simply hear Jesus saying, “You got brains, smarts, skills, use them for good not evil.”

I hear Jesus saying the same thing about money. If you got it, use it for good – not just for self.

LEARNING ABOUT MONEY

Where did Jesus learn about money? Where did he get his take on money?

Did he watch Joseph and how he earned money as a carpenter – to feed Jesus, Mary and himself? Did he watch people putting money in the poor box in the temple? We know he did that later on as an adult. We know about the time he noticed a poor widow quietly putting in her two cents worth into the poor box while the others were putting in their coins with show and out of their abundance. Did he hear today’s first reading from Amos in the synagogue – a message from some 700 plus years earlier? Did he wince when heard Amos preaching against people who cheated on coins and scales – the buying and selling of people as slaves? Did he cringe when he heard the Prophet’s Amos’ words, “We will buy the lowly for silver, and the poor for a pair of sandals?” Hearing that did he voice an “Amen” to Amos in his mind – because he too saw the same things happening in the marketplace in his time – people treating people as commodities – and not as people?

And at the end Jesus got betrayed for 30 pieces of silver.

Money? What’s Your Take on Money?

MONEY OR THE PRINCIPLE OF THE THING

Isn’t there a quote, “When someone says, ‘It’s not the money. It’s the principle of the thing.’ It’s the money!”?

When it comes to money, what are your principles? Are you aware of your principles?

Cheat or never cheat - or sometimes cut corners?

Saver or a spender?

In the red or in the black?

Frugal or generous?

Tight or a good tipper?

Pay on time or put off?

Aware of the consequences of my work and my money habits?

When it comes to money, what are my attitudes and awareness’s?

Money is tough right now – as we all know. Do we wince and worry about all those people who are out of work? Do we feel their stress? Are we aware of any way we might be in on this mess?

People are dipping into their retirement funds.

I have a vow of poverty – but I’ve never really felt the pinch of poverty. What has been your money trail? Your money history? Your money stories?

FURTHER QUESTIONS

Money? What’s My Take on Money?”

That’s the question I’m asking in this homily?

Am I aware of my take on money?

Am I aware of mom and dad’s and other’s take on money?

What have I learned about money – and who and how did I learn what I learned?

Have I ever had a good money conversation with my family and others?

Would I be willing to lose my job – if I realized there is something funny going on at work – and if I speak up, I’m dead meat? I could lose my job. And then comes the big, “Uh oh!”

Would I speak up when I hear nonsense or at least ask a question about something I find myself wondering about? Is this true or untrue? Is this what true we’re promoting around here – whether it’s in advertising, in spenditures, in blaming, or what have you?

Does anyone ever ask ethical questions when it comes to political debate – TV talk shows – blame games? Does anyone who babbles on and on and on – ever really do their homework? Does anyone on staffs – from any side or political position ask, “Is this true? Can we say this? Are we saying this for a TV niche – and pull in the TV advertising dollars? Are we doing this for the polls or votes – regardless of the truth? This money is being sent our way to promote a position – I dare say to bribe us? Something’s just not right here?" Does anyone ever say these things – knowing they might be looking for another job the following day? How would Jesus cast today’s gospel in today’s TV and various other communication markets? He would certainly say there are lots of clever people out there.

In today's gospel there were two characters. The clever steward said to the first one, “You owe my master 100 measures of olive oil. Quick make that 50?” He said to the second, “You owe my master 80 kors of wheat. Here is your promissory note. Make it 80” If I were either of those two would I do make the change?

What have I learned about work and money and life and values so far?

Jesus ends today’s gospel with some tough words.

“No servant can serve two masters. He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and mammon.”

SOME PERSONAL STORIES

As I began thinking about all this I came up with these stories. I mention them, because I found out if I do this, people begin thinking about their own stories – not mine.

My first job in life was in the late 1940’s. I was an altar boy and somehow I got a job as candle boy at our church. Altar boys used to sometimes get a dollar for serving weddings – but that went into the kitty for the altar boy boat ride to an amusement park in Rye Beach New York every June. Candle boys – there were just two of us – however, got paid $2.50 a week – to work Wednesday afternoon after school and Wednesday evening, Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning. $2.50 a week. It was a lot for a kid 9 and 10 years of age. However, I did learn: never work for the church.

Next at 12 I had a paper route and I learned I liked getting new customers but I hated it when customers no longer wanted the paper I was delivering, The Brooklyn Eagle. I went into the red – because I was scared at times to tell the boss that these customers no longer wanted the paper. Not good. So I decided to become a priest.

The summer after my first year in college I worked for Coca Cola. If a delivery truck delivered more than 150 cases, the union demanded the driver had to have a helper. I had to join the Teamsters and each morning there was a shapeup. I learned that first week – the secret of work. I got chosen that first Monday – didn’t get chosen that first Tuesday – and I got chosen every day for the rest of the summer after that. I learned the following. When we arrived at a stop that first Wednesday I said to the driver, “You just sit there and tell me what to do and I’ll do it all.” Sucker! It worked. Obviously he wanted me every day – and when he went on vacation he told a buddy, “Get this guy. He does all the work. You just have to sit there and give him directions.” I got my $75 every week after that first week of making only $60.

CONCLUSION

Enough, I’m getting paid by the hour. The title of my homily was, "Money? What’s Your Take on Money?" That’s your homework for this week.

Let's take some time this week to look at our work habits – spending habits - money patterns. Everything I do impacts people – not statistics. Money impacts people.