Jesus responds to a request with a parable that shows the dangers of greed in the human heart.
Mass Readings – Monday of the 29th Week of the Year
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St. Ignatius of Antioch, pray for us!
Tag Archives: Greed
Daily Mass: Take care to guard against all greed. Catholic Inspiration
18th Sunday of the Year: Life does not consist of possessions. Catholic Inspiration
In the face of a family, financial conflict, Jesus offers a parable that warns about the danger of greed. May we use the wealth we have wisely and well in this life…for we cannot take it with us in the next!
Mass Readings – 18th Sunday of the Year
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18th Sunday of the Year: Three antidotes for greed. Catholic Inspiration
The Lord offers a direct warning about the sin of greed in the Gospel today. While we are often quick to perceive greed in others, the reality is that this temptation touches us all in great and small ways. Fr. Andrew’s homily offers three antidotes to help us shake off the lure of this deadly sin.
Mass Readings – 18th Sunday of the Year
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18th Sunday of the Year: Beware of greed
Study: Are there situations in life where you find greed present? Ask yourself what is the source of this excessive hunger for more.
Pray: Call upon the Lord for the grace to use your resources wisely.
Serve: How can you be generous with your life today?
Mass Readings – 18th Sunday of the Year
The Lord cautions us to “guard against all greed” in the Gospel today, yet another reminder of the timeless power of our faith to speak to the human heart. Let’s take a moment to break down some common aspects of greed:
- Self-centered, focusing on “what I want”
- Excessive, always wanting more
- Applies to a wide variety of human wants – money, fame, power, food, etc.
Greed disregards the needs of others as the individual focuses entirely on self. Seeking more and more, it pushes other things aside in a quest to acquire. And while we often associate greed with money, the Lord’s warning against all forms of greed is apt…we can be greedy about so many things!
So what’s the cure? How do we combat greed in our lives? Here are some key ingredients:
- Gratitude – being thankful for what we have
- Contentment – seeing the blessings in our lives
- Stewardship – using wisely the resources in our care
- Generosity – sharing the gifts of life with those in need
- Prayer – fostering our relationship with God, the source of all gifts
By weaving these elements into our lives we cultivate a perspective that sees all resources as gifts from God that are to be used wisely and well. We have been richly blessed by the Lord! May we live and share our lives in such a way that Christ’s love shines through all that we do.
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Note: This post was first published on July 25, 2016.
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26th Sunday of the Year: Jealousy and Greed in the human heart
Study: Reflect on a situation where you have experienced either jealousy or greed. How did you move past it? (HAVE you moved past it?)
Pray: Ask the Lord for the grace to confront these vices and replace them with the Love, Joy, and Peace of Christ.
Serve: Is there something that you can do to help break the cycle of greed or jealousy in your life today? How can your life show others a better way to live?
Mass Readings – 26th Sunday of the Year
Whew! While every week the Scripture readings give us plenty to ponder about, we are confronted this week with some particularly nasty (but common) elements that can surface in the human heart:
- Jealousy – to be worried someone will take what we already have
- Greed – an excessive desire to have more than what is appropriate, right or just
We know that Joshua and John are great figures in the history of our faith. Joshua, as the successor of Moses, will lead the people as they claim their space in the Promised Land after their enslavement in Egypt. He is God-fearing and righteous. John is a close companion of the Lord, the brother of James, who has been personally called by Jesus to follow and be “a fisher of men.”
Empowered by God with particular graces, both are chosen for special work of leadership, yet they make the common (and altogether too human) mistake of getting their noses bent out of joint because great things are happening of which they are not a part. Sound familiar?
Ever had a moment when you were upset because you were afraid that someone was moving in on your turf? Taking over a work, task, ministry, or role that was yours? While it’s true that there are times when people unfairly gobble up the work of others, it is also true that sometimes we are at fault because our expectations are too limited: we have assumed that the work, task, ministry, or role was ONLY ours to control. We can cultivate assumptions that opportunities are strictly limited – that there is no room to share with others – and that we alone are allowed or expected to act.
Yet this is not how the Lord works! Both Jesus and Moses welcome others to participate in the Good News – to prophesy, to drive out evil, to bring life and hope. Simply put, there is room for others to help, for the obvious reason that the needs of the world are vast. A question then arises: Do we share? Do we welcome and encourage others to join us in God’s work?
James hits us over the head with greed – an inappropriate hunger for more (often wealth) that shows no regard for the needs and rights of others. Greed (one of the 7 Deadly Sins) is one of those ugly vices that we always despise in others and often overlook in ourselves. And while an insatiable desire for money is an easy target, remember that greed can also appear in little ways:
- a little more food
- a little more praise
- a little more attention
- a little more respect
When greed takes over we can lose our sense of balance and perspective. People can get lost as we place a higher value on the thing we greedily seek. The sad thing is, we might get what we desire, but we can lose that which is most important: the opportunity to love and be loved by the people in our lives.
We know jealousy and greed first hand: these are real vices that can fester in our souls. The question today…how will we respond to their presence? Jesus invites us in to the Gospel today to pluck them out! They have no place in Heaven, and here on earth they are obstacles that keep us from the Lord and one another.
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Note: This post was first published on September 22, 2015.
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18th Sunday of the Year: An antidote against greed. Catholic Inspiration
Mass Readings – 18th Sunday of the Year
An antidote that guards against greed contains Gratitude, Contentment, Stewardship, Generosity, and Prayer. May we take a daily dose and live our lives with the grace of our faith in Christ.
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18th Sunday of the Year – Guard against greed
Study: Are there situations in life where you find greed present? Ask yourself what is the source of this excessive hunger for more.
Pray: Call upon the Lord for the grace to use your resources wisely.
Serve: How can you be generous with your life today?
Mass Readings – 18th Sunday of the Year
The Lord cautions us to “guard against all greed” in the Gospel today, yet another reminder of the timeless power of our faith to speak to the human heart. Let’s take a moment to break down some common aspects of greed:
- Self-centered, focusing on “what I want”
- Excessive, always wanting more
- Applies to a wide variety of human wants – money, fame, power, food, etc.
Greed disregards the needs of others as the individual focuses entirely on self. Seeking more and more, it pushes other things aside in a quest to acquire. And while we often associate greed with money, the Lord’s warning against all forms of greed is apt…we can be greedy about so many things!
So what’s the cure? How do we combat greed in our lives? Here are some key ingredients:
- Gratitude – being thankful for what we have
- Contentment – seeing the blessings in our lives
- Stewardship – using wisely the resources in our care
- Generosity – sharing the gifts of life with those in need
- Prayer – fostering our relationship with God, the source of all gifts
By weaving these elements into our lives we cultivate a perspective that sees all resources as gifts from God that are to be used wisely and well. We have been richly blessed by the Lord! May we live and share our lives in such a way that Christ’s love shines through all that we do.
Share this:
26th Sunday of the Year – Jealousy & Greed – Catholic Inspiration
Fr. Andrew’s 26th Sunday of the Year Homily Podcast
Jealousy and Greed (like most vices) can easily grow in our souls…unless we are constantly vigilant to starve them out and feed on God’s grace. Joshua, John, and the community of James all needed to be reminded, and they will take these lessons to heart. May we do the same.
Share this:
26th Sunday of the Year – Jealousy & Greed
Study: Reflect on a situation where you have experienced either jealousy or greed. How did you move past it? (HAVE you moved past it?)
Pray: Ask the Lord for the grace to confront these vices and replace them with the Love, Joy, and Peace of Christ.
Serve: Is there something that you can do to help break the cycle of greed or jealousy in your life today? How can your life show others a better way to live?
26th Sunday of the Year Readings
Whew! While every week the Scripture readings give us plenty to ponder about, we are confronted this week with some particularly nasty (but common) elements that can surface in the human heart:
- Jealousy – to be worried someone will take what we already have
- Greed – an excessive desire to have more than what is appropriate, right or just
We know that Joshua and John are great figures in the history of our faith. Joshua, as the successor of Moses, will lead the people as they claim their space in the Promised Land after their enslavement in Egypt. He is God-fearing and righteous. John is a close companion of the Lord, the brother of James, who has been personally called by Jesus to follow and be “a fisher of men.”
Empowered by God with particular graces, both are chosen for special work of leadership, yet they make the common (and altogether too human) mistake of getting their noses bent out of joint because great things are happening of which they are not a part. Sound familiar?
Ever had a moment when you were upset because you were afraid that someone was moving in on your turf? Taking over a work, task, ministry, or role that was yours? While it’s true that there are times when people unfairly gobble up the work of others, it is also true that sometimes we are at fault because our expectations are too limited: we have assumed that the work, task, ministry, or role was ONLY ours to control. We can cultivate assumptions that opportunities are strictly limited – that there is no room to share with others – and that we alone are allowed or expected to act.
Yet this is not how the Lord works! Both Jesus and Moses welcome others to participate in the Good News – to prophesy, to drive out evil, to bring life and hope. Simply put, there is room for others to help, for the obvious reason that the needs of the world are vast. A question then arises: Do we share? Do we welcome and encourage others to join us in God’s work?
James hits us over the head with greed – an inappropriate hunger for more (often wealth) that shows no regard for the needs and rights of others. Greed (one of the 7 Deadly Sins) is one of those ugly vices that we always despise in others and often overlook in ourselves. And while an insatiable desire for money is an easy target, remember that greed can also appear in little ways:
- a little more food
- a little more praise
- a little more attention
- a little more respect
When greed takes over we can lose our sense of balance and perspective. People can get lost as we place a higher value on the thing we greedily seek. The sad thing is, we might get what we desire, but we can lose that which is most important: the opportunity to love and be loved by the people in our lives.
We know jealousy and greed first hand: these are real vices that can fester in our souls. The question today…how will we respond to their presence? Jesus invites us in to the Gospel today to pluck them out! They have no place in Heaven, and here on earth they are obstacles that keep us from the Lord and one another.
Three Great Things 