Wealth is Weird

Learning wealth management from Jesus

06/18/2021

Matthew 6:19-23 Jesus said to his disciples: “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and decay destroy, and thieves break in and steal. But store up treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor decay destroys, nor thieves break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be. “The lamp of the body is the eye. If your eye is sound, your whole body will be filled with light; but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be in darkness. And if the light in you is darkness, how great will the darkness be.”

Material wealth is a weird thing because it makes us act weird. Let me give you a couple of examples. I was speaking recently to a friend who has been a very successful businessman. He came from nothing and worked hard and expanded his company to multiple stores. He has tried to teach his children his own tireless work-ethic, but not been as successful with his children as he was with his company. He told me a truism for many parents who have significant wealth, saying: “The first generation earns it, the second generation spends it, and the third generation wastes it.” How many immigrants, like my own family from India, have seen the same pattern? Wealth is weird.

Here is another example. Bill was at his family reunion when his cousin Earl asked him, “You look terrible. What’s the problem?” Bill answered: “My mother died in June and left me $10,000.” Earl said sadly: “Gee, that’s tough.” Bill continued: “Then in July my father died leaving me $50,000.” Earl reacted: “Wow. Both parents gone in two months. No wonder you’re depressed.” But Bill went on: “Then, last month my Aunt Sylvia died, and left me $15,000.” Earl shook his head saying: “Three family members in three months. How sad!” Finally, Bill concluded: “Then, this month nothing!” Material wealth is weird because it makes us act weird.

In the gospel today Jesus shows us a very different approach to wealth management. He teaches his disciples how wealth might not make you weird and act in selfish and sinful ways, like the third generation of wealthy families. Jesus says in his Sermon on the Mount: “But store up treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor decay destroys, nor thieves break in and steal. For where you treasure is, there also your heart will be.” In other words, if wealth makes us weird, then we must change our understanding of wealth from earthly wealth to heavenly wealth, from material riches to spiritual riches, from the human economy to the divine economy.

And probably no one learned our Lord’s lesson better than St. Paul, who said in the first reading today (taken from 2 Corinthians): “If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weaknesses.” That is, real and lasting wealth is found in our weaknesses, because there we find the true treasure of God’s grace. We start storing up treasure in heaven.

Ever since I arrived at Immaculate Conception seven and a half years ago, I have been endlessly edified at how our parishioners understand wealth, meaning wealth has not made you weird! Put more positively: material wealth has helped you grown spiritually rich because you know that your true treasure is in heaven. What do I mean? When I arrived here we were already undertaking a $3 million campaign to renovate our campus. $2 million was spent to restore the elegant and historic St. Anne Convent. You wanted to preserve the spiritual legacy of the Sisters of Mercy and so rather than tear down the building you used your wealth to keep you from becoming materially weird, showing you are spiritually wise.

Whenever someone passes away in our parish, like J.T. Schluterman or Dale Keller last week, the church office is flooded with Mass intentions. People donate $10 per Mass, even though Masses are free, and in a real sense priceless and no one could afford them! But notice what people are doing: exchanging their human economy in order to participate in the divine economy. Each Mass contributes to the process of purification called Purgatory, and as Jesus said: “Stores up treasure in heaven.” Instead of asking what did the deceased leave us, we worry about what we can leave them.

And my personal way to trying to keep material wealth from making me weird is to support Catholic schools. I know what a blessing it was for me to be able to attend Catholic schools because it nurtured the seeds of my priestly vocation. And so I happily support our Catholic schools by writing books and conducting campaigns for scholarships for poor students (like I was). Why? Well, because Catholic schools exist to teach the same lessons as the Sermon on the Mount: “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be.”

Folks, I am pleased to report that wealth is not making at least Immaculate Conception parishioners weird. Why? Because you have learned like St. Paul that real and lasting wealth in found in weaknesses, because there we find the true treasure of God’s grace.

Praised be Jesus Christ!