In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, one God, Amen.
We work, dear brothers and sisters, to provide for ourselves and for our families. We work because there are bills to pay—housing, utilities, food, communications, transport, and more. But what is the purpose in this life of work, of this living to work? The acquisition of money? But what even is that? We come into the world without a concept of money, we must be taught what it is, it does not come instinctively to infants though by adolescence nearly all know of its power and influence over us. We are taught to value it, to want it, and that we never have enough of it so we must acquire more. Money brings status, importance and worth. And at our end, it will be squabbled over by parties hoping to inherit. But it is all a lie: it is just a number on a computer spreadsheet at a bank: it does not confirm identity nor confer value; love of money is one of the great lies of the world. (see First Timothy 6:10) We came into the world with none and we leave it all behind.
The Lord confirms this to us.
For what does it profit a man, to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? For what can a man give in return for his life?
Even all the money in the world cannot equate with one life. Our conditioning is wrong, our lives should not, must not, be a series of tasks to acquire more money but a transformation of the human person into the image of God. We all, poor and wealthy alike, are subject to death in this world, but through Christ we are given the path to eternal Life. Not just more life, more drudgery, more tasks, but Life, abundant Life, joyful Life. And for this purpose the world spends seemingly infinite amounts of money, but Christ has shown us the true path that is accessible to all.
If anyone wishes to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.
And we may take up our cross by serving others, by expressing love and forgiveness to friend and enemy alike, by standing with Christ despite any consequence. “For whoever is ashamed of me and my words,” says the Lord,
in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of man also be ashamed, when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.
My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, the world would have us subservient to money, and we do need money in order to survive in this society. But, as hard as it seems, as counter-intuitive it is to our instincts, we must reject being ruled by money.
No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. …
Matthew 6:24, 31–34
Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’
For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.
But seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
Let us accept Christ’s invitation to take up our own crosses and follow Him. It will go against every worldly instinct yet the world is headed inevitably towards death, for pauper and wealthy alike. Yet in Christ we are given the possibility of breaking the cycle, of freeing ourselves from the power of mammon which oppress us that we may be free and alive in Christ Jesus. Let us, therefore, use money for the glory of God rather allow money to use us, our money and wealth do not give us meaning but by our actions with our money and wealth we may glorify God. Let us, dear brothers and sisters, take up our crosses and follow Christ.
That we may offer true praise, glory and worship to our God and Saviour Jesus Christ, Who has freed us from the powers of darkness that we may be children of the Light, together with His unoriginate Father and the All-holy, Good and Life-giving Spirit. Amen.
Brethren, since we have a high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we have not a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. For every high priest chosen from among men is appointed to act on behalf of men in relation to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. He can deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself is beset with weakness. Because of this he is bound to offer sacrifice for his own sins as well as for those of the people. And one does not take the honor upon himself, but he is called by God, just as Aaron was. So also Christ did not exalt himself to be made a high priest, but was appointed by him who said to him, ‘Thou art my Son, today I have begotten thee’; as he says also in another place, ‘Thou art a priest for ever, after the order of Melchizedek.’
— Hebrews 4:14–16, 5:1–6
The Lord said: ‘If anyone wishes to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it. For what does it profit a man, to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? For what can a man give in return for his life? For whoever is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of man also be ashamed, when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.’ And he said to them, ‘Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God come with power.’
— Mark 8:34–38, 9:1