SOME PEOPLE GOT TO HAVE IT, SOME PEOPLE REALLY NEED IT!

Prof./Evangel. Michael P. Howard, MACS

Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

"Do not be afraid any longer, little flock, for your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your belongings and give alms." (Lk. 12:32-48)

"Some people got to have it, ... Some people really need it, ... Listen to me y'all, do things, do things, do things bad things with it. Well, you wanna do things, do things, do things, good things with it, / Talking about cash money..."

The lyrics mentioned above are from the classic song "For the Love of Money" by the soulful group The O'Jays. While reflecting on Luke's Gospel today, the song's lyrics kept echoing in my mind. As a young man, "Clubbing," I was focused on dancing and having a good time, often overlooking the deeper meaning behind the song. It was more about the beat than the words, although I enjoyed singing, "For the Love of Money." Now, as a new creation in Christ Jesus, I am deeply moved by the spiritual implications of this song, far beyond what I could have imagined as a young man.

For example, the song's opening line, "Some people got to have it, and some people really need it," highlights our society's severe socioeconomic conditions. There is an apparent economic disparity between the "haves," representing the upper class, and those who require financial support, who fall on the opposite side of the spectrum. Moreover, the gap between these two extremes has widened, giving rise to what some refer to as the lower and upper middle classes. This growing divide complicates our socioeconomic landscape even further, especially as the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has displaced thousands from their jobs. Don't become fatigued from looking at statistics; with so many people losing their jobs, the unemployment rate has to be off the charts. This situation is real, causing some "...women [to] sell her precious body/ For a small piece of paper, it carries a lot of weight / For that mean, mean, mean, mean/ Mean green, almighty dollar..."

In Luke's Gospel, Jesus reassures his disciples—and us—by saying, "Do not be afraid any longer, little flock, for your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom." While we may grasp what it means to be unafraid because God is pleased to offer us the kingdom, selling our possessions and giving alms can be challenging.

On the other hand, we need to incorporate the following lines from our song: "Do things, do things, do things, bad things with it. Well, you want to do things, do things, do things, good things with it." While the dominant culture continues to do bad things, selling our belongings and giving alms can be beneficial when our actions contribute to building the kingdom of God. Consider how your generosity can help shape the kingdom of God here on earth as it is in heaven—this is indeed doing a good thing. The plight of those affected by DOGE has blindsided many people. They need assistance to secure adequate jobs to cover their mortgages and other living expenses. God calls us to "Do things, do things, do things, good things with" our money.

For this reason, Jesus instructs His disciples, and us, to "Provide money bags for yourselves that do not wear out, an inexhaustible treasure in heaven that no thief can reach nor moth destroy. For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be." So, the question of the hour is: "What are you putting in your money bag that no thief can reach nor moth destroy?" No, this is not Capital One asking what is in your wallet; this is Jesus, the Son of the living God, asking us what is in our wallets.

"Save your soul, Save your soul, don't sell it. For that mean, mean, mean, mean green." O'Jays

For the Love of Money!

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