“The love of money is the root of all evils, and some people in their desire for it have strayed from the faith and have caused themselves many pains.” — 1 Timothy 6:10
Notice what Saint Paul condemns: not money itself, but the love of money. Money is a good servant and a terrible master. It buys food and medicine; it pays school fees; it builds churches. But when it becomes the measure of a person’s worth — ours or our neighbour’s — it has displaced God, and everything else begins to rot.
The love of money disguises itself cleverly. It calls itself ambition when it is greed; prudence when it is hoarding; realism when it is despair of God’s providence. It tempts us to cheat the poor, to envy the rich, to skip Sunday Mass “because of work”, to measure a marriage by its possessions.
The remedy
Saint Francis of Assisi, the Poor Man of God, found freedom in holy poverty; our Carmelite saints found it in detachment of heart. For most of us the medicine is simpler: give regularly and generously to the poor and to the parish; be honest in every transaction; thank God daily for what you have rather than grieving what you lack.
“Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Mt 6:21) Let us place the treasure where it cannot be stolen — in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread, Lord — and a heart that seeks first Your Kingdom. Amen.