Henry David Thoreau once wrote, “it is preoccupation with possessions, more than anything else, that prevents us from living freely and nobly”. The “preoccupation with possessions” refers to materialism. Materialism is prevalent among college students. A study was done back in the 70s. In 1970, one quarter of a million college students were surveyed. 40% of them said that doing very well financially was very important; 70% said that having a meaningful philosophy of life was very important. Then, in 1987 and through 2005, the numbers reversed. 70% of college students now think that making a lot of money is very important while 40% think that having a meaningful philosophy of life is very important.
Possessions are not bad; the preoccupation with possessions – materialism – is dangerous. Pope Benedict XVI has warned about the dangers of materialism many times. He has said that it presents a “false mode of happiness” and referred to consumerism as a “dead end street”. He has wondered aloud if the world has created its own idols and if people have imitated, even if they haven’t intended, the pagans of antiquity. He is hitting the nail on the head. The danger of materialism, or as Jesus refers to it in the Gospel as “mammon”, is that it can be a false god which demands the same loyalty that Almighty God does.
Jesus says that we cannot serve both God and mammon. Again, mammon refers to love of money, possessions, wealth, or power. How can we tell if we serve the real God or if we serve the false god of materialism? Here’s a simple questions to see: if you think about the future, of what do you think? If you worry about the future, about what do you worry? Someone who serves mammon would think of or worry about the following: the size of the house they will have, how many cars they will own, how much money they will make, what their spouse looks like, how many kids they will have, country clubs, and personal travel or vacation spots. All of these “things”.
Someone who serves Almighty God will answer that they think of or worry about the following: doing God’s Will, living out their vocation whatever it might be, serving others whether country or the Church, falling in love and loving another, raising and education children, and family. They will be focused on people and not things. Now, just to clear up a myth, it’s not like one life (materialism) is all fun and games and the other life (in God) is all BORRRING. A life in God is an adventure! God doesn’t just give us what we need; He often gives us what we want…the true desires of our hearts. Father Byrne talked about this last Tuesday when he said that God has taken him places he never would have been if he weren’t a priest (like meeting Pope John Paul II once when he was simply driving through Rome). A life in God has allowed me to travel through the country and around the world that I don’t think I would have done on my own.
We can use this Gospel to look at one possession you all have right now: your grades. I know that all of you are worried and anxious about your grades. Do you spend more time worrying about grades than you do working toward your grades? This is what Jesus is warning against. He is speaking primarily to peasants and laborers and telling them not to worry more about possessions than they work. Their worry shouldn’t exceed their labor. The same is true with you all: if you spend more time worrying about your grades than doing the work toward your grades, then there is a problem. You have probably heard me say this before: do your best and let God do the rest. That should be your approach for the rest of the semester, for the rest of your time at GW, and for the rest of your life. Do your best and let God do the rest. That is a huge stress and anxiety relief.
This Gospel is really a question about trust. God is saying, “do you trust me?” Do we trust God and find security in Him? Or, do we trust in money and the security of a large bank account? Our country has answered this question, even on our own currency. Every bill we have gives the answer: In God We Trust.
Finally, brother and sisters, God has entered into our material world in Jesus Christ. “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us”. He continues to be in the midst of all of our “stuff” in the Eucharist. Among all of our “possessions”, the Eucharist is primary. St Augustine went after all of the things of the world and found what our psalmist did: that in God alone is our rest. Only God can bring us true rest and peace. Only the Eucharist can bring us true rest and peace. As we receive the Eucharist tonight, let us say these words: in God we trust.
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