And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of dishonest wealth so that when it is gone they may welcome you into the eternal homes. Whoever is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much, and whoever is dishonest in a very little is dishonest also in much. Luke16:8-10

I have heard preachers say, “Money is good servant but an evil master.” These words are suppose to make us feel a little comfortable with possessing money. However, they are at odds with the words of Jesus. I do not blame preachers for saying this. St Paul said the love of money is the root of all evil. Some might breathe a sigh of relief, thinking as long as they do not love money it is fine to have much of it. The problem is money is a god as Jesus puts it. It does not comply to the role of being a servant nor a mere tool. It is a god and wants to have complete control of its subjects.

In Jesus’ time, money did not have the kind of influence which it does in our present reality. We are living in times where economy is the driving force of our ethics and wars. Even all the controversies related to the recent pandemic can be traced back to the economic situation. There was a different attitude towards wealth in Jesus’ world. People accepted wealth and poverty as determined conditions each one was born into in this world, not unlike the doctrine of the caste system in India. Hinduism did not invent it but merely formalized it. However, soon it became apparent that money can liberate us from the harsh social conditions imposed upon us. We discovered that nobody is condemned to the state in which they were born. Money gave us opportunities to overcome things which religion for centuries failed to do. We can even say that it helped to conquer racism, albeit superficially. People change their attitudes when they see that they can gain much from the people they secretly despise.

Needless to say, money has done much to lift people out of misery and pain. Besides it is something palpable and it provides for our needs and desires in a tangible manner. Sometimes people read the harsh sayings of Jesus of abandoning families and friends for the Kingdom of God, they feel that these demands are unreasonable. However, if a job offer comes up with a great paycheck, they will drop everything and move to some distant and remote place in a heartbeat. Many would agree that this is a wise and reasonable thing to do. This is the problem. Money brings a lot of positive things in our lives. We willingly allow it to creep and dominate every aspect of our being without any resistance. Jesus is warning us that this is an unrighteous presence in our lives. It is a warning that not everything that leads to something apparently better is good for our souls.

The homeless are not any different. They are not immune to the influences of money. Our homeless young people love having it. The young children steal not because they need something for their immediate needs. There are countless of homeless children and teens who have all their needs met without any money exchanged. However, those who engage in crime like the feel of holding money in their hands. They like to say, “This is mine to do as I please!”

There is a young boy named Lucas. I am not sure if he is even ten years old. He is so tiny and adorable that no one would realize that he is actually one of the biggest thieves in the center. He is extremely fast. He can grab a gold chain from the neck of an unsuspecting victim and disappear without a trace. He likes to carry his cash in a way that everyone can see that he is loaded. However, he hardly buys anything for himself. He likes to treat the older teens who do not rob nor engage in any criminal activities. I have seen him buy food and treats for Erica and Kawanna. Lucas suffers from some form of autism. Often times he walks by us without noticing our presence. He is very limited in the way he interacts with people. One thing he has he figured out, money is a good way to connect with people. In a strange way, Lucas uses his dishonest money in a better way than most of his victims would have. Nevertheless, this does not make it righteous money in any shape or form.

And I said: “Woe is me! I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips; yet my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!” Isaiah 6:5

The prophet had a glimpse of the holiness of God and realized that he was nothing but a fruit of an unrighteous society and consequently, an unrighteous person himself. This is the very opposite of the spirituality of the Pharisees. They see themselves as the custodians of holiness in this world. We cannot appreciate the abundant life which Jesus gives to use freely unless we perceive ourselves and the world like the prophet did. We have to acknowledge that we are part and parcel of a system promoting unrighteousness in this world. Our attitudes on what is right and wrong are inevitably tainted too. Our little and adorable friend, Lucas, believes that he is being righteous. Perhaps he imagines himself as a Robin Hood. Despite all our romanticism, Robin Hood perpetuates unrighteousness present in this world.

Money is a fruit of this world and a bad tree cannot produce good fruit. However, we need money to survive in this world. We also need money to do good in this world. Jesus understands this perfectly. He was financial supported by wealthy women in his society as the gospel of Luke informs us. We also know that Jesus never handled money. Judas did it for him and we know how that story ends.

Jesus shows us a better way to deal with this dangerous element in our everyday life. It does not mean all of us have to be like the rich young ruler. I believe that was something specific for that young man. However, we have countless examples of saints which mark our liturgical calendar who have followed this example. Even so, this is not something Jesus demands of everyone. He tells here to use our money to gain friends. Money, in our capitalistic society, is used as a form of communication. In a business, an employer wants to show appreciation for his staff, he or she gives them a raise. Words, in this situation, do not really cut it. Money does it best. It is the same in different aspects of society. Money is used as a means of expressing gratitude and appreciation in our times. In other words, the money we have in our hands can be used to bless others in a deeper way. However, if we think that by giving we will receive something in return, then we are perpetuating the unrighteous economy of Mammon. The Kingdom of God operates on the foundation of unconditional love. Sometimes we can give and not even receive a “Thank you” like the countless times Jesus never received a word of gratitude for healing people. Nevertheless, it did not stop Jesus from healing.

Jesus advises us to make friends. However, it is possible to give tons of money away without any relationship. Many do it to gain a name for themselves.

What does it profit them if they gain the whole world, but lose or forfeit themselves? Luke 9:25

Jesus advises us to use our money to build bridges of friendship. Each time we gain a friend, we gain our humanity. However, this does not mean mammon is not a dangerous thing. We have to be careful that we do not help someone in a way that they become servants of this dreadful god. We need a lot of wisdom with this. It is not an easy task. Nothing is easy when it comes to money. However, we need to get rid of it in a way that we become truly rich with friendships that will remain with us for eternity.

Godspeed on your quest to rid yourself of this unrighteous presence. Please pray for us to do the same and say a special prayer for Lucas.