Memorial of St. Martin of Tours, Bishop
Mammon comes from the word “amen,” which is a confirmation of faith. Therefore, mammon refers to a treacherous object in which people put their faith, such as money, that will inevitably fail to live up to their faith. Jesus is offering a warning not to rely on money and suggests that it is often obtained through dishonest means, which taints it even further. Those who make money an idol by placing their faith in it and constantly focusing on how to accumulate it have already received their reward.
Jesus does, however, make clear that money has its uses and that it can be put to use for good. It is an instrument and nothing more. It cannot save anyone’s soul, and it can be lost in an instant, but those who put their trust in God can use this instrument to provide for their neighbors and those in need. One’s use of money is a “small matter,” but it testifies to how one will behave in great matters. If the love of money leads us to dishonesty or miserliness for the sake of accumulating it, then we will be dishonest and miserly in living out our discipleship.
Reflection by Fr. Victor Schinstock, OSB
Posted in Articles for Ordinary Time, Daily Reflections