God and Money: Finding The Balance
Every generation feels the pull between God and money. Work, study, and ambition are good in themselves, but they can consume us if left unchecked. Bishop Gregory reminded us that talents, like wealth, can take over a life and push aside what matters most.
The Gospel today is not only about finances but about loyalty: who is our true master? Jesus puts it plainly — we must choose between God and money.
Readings: 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time
First reading: Amos 8:4-7
I will never forget your deeds, you who trample on the needy. Listen to this, you who trample on the needy and try to suppress the poor people of the country, you who say, ‘When will New Moon be over so that we can sell our corn, and sabbath, so that we can market our wheat?
Then by lowering the bushel, raising the shekel, by swindling and tampering with the scales, we can buy up the poor for money, and the needy for a pair of sandals, and get a price even for the sweepings of the wheat.’
The Lord swears it by the pride of Jacob, never will I forget a single thing you have done.
Psalm or canticle: Psalm 112 (113):1-2,4-8
Praise, O servants of the Lord, praise the name of the Lord! May the name of the Lord be blessed both now and forevermore!
High above all nations is the Lord, above the heavens his glory.
Who is like the Lord, our God, who has risen on high to his throne yet stoops from the heights to look down, to look down upon heaven and earth?
From the dust he lifts up the lowly, from the dungheap he raises the poor to set him in the company of princes, yes, with the princes of his people.
Second reading: 1 Timothy 2:1-8
Pray for everyone to God, who wants everyone to be saved
My advice is that, first of all, there should be prayers offered for everyone – petitions, intercessions and thanksgiving – and especially for kings and others in authority, so that we may be able to live religious and reverent lives in peace and quiet. To do this is right, and will please God our saviour: he wants everyone to be saved and reach full knowledge of the truth. For there is only one God, and there is only one mediator between God and mankind, himself a man, Christ Jesus, who sacrificed himself as a ransom for them all. He is the evidence of this, sent at the appointed time, and I have been named a herald and apostle of it and – I am telling the truth and no lie – a teacher of the faith and the truth to the pagans.
In every place, then, I want the men to lift their hands up reverently in prayer, with no anger or argument.
Gospel: Luke 16:1-13
You Cannot Be The Slave of Both God and Money
Jesus said to his disciples:
‘There was a rich man and he had a steward denounced to him for being wasteful with his property. He called for the man and said, “What is this I hear about you? Draw me up an account of your stewardship because you are not to be my steward any longer.” Then the steward said to himself, “Now that my master is taking the stewardship from me, what am I to do? Dig? I am not strong enough. Go begging? I should be too ashamed. Ah, I know what I will do to make sure that when I am dismissed from office, there will be some to welcome me into their homes.”
Then he called his master’s debtors one by one. To the first, he said, “How much do you owe my master?” “One hundred measures of oil” was the reply. The steward said, “Here, take your bond; sit down straight away and write fifty.” To another, he said, “And you, sir, how much do you owe?” “One hundred measures of wheat” was the reply. The steward said, “Here, take your bond and write eighty.”
‘The master praised the dishonest steward for his astuteness. For the children of this world are more astute in dealing with their own kind than are the children of light.
‘And so I tell you this: use money, tainted as it is, to win you friends, and thus make sure that when it fails you, they will welcome you into the tents of eternity. The man who can be trusted in little things can be trusted in great; the man who is dishonest in little things will be dishonest in great. If then you cannot be trusted with money, that tainted thing, who will trust you with genuine riches? And if you cannot be trusted with what is not yours, who will give you what is your very own?
‘No servant can be the slave of two masters: he will either hate the first and love the second, or treat the first with respect and the second with scorn. You cannot be the slave both of God and of money.’
Amos and the Cry for Justice
Amos speaks to a society obsessed with profit. Traders can’t wait for the Sabbath to end so they can manipulate scales and exploit the poor. God declares: “Never will I forget a single thing you have done.”
The prophet’s words echo today. Whenever money becomes an idol, people suffer. Serving God and money is impossible, because wealth without justice offends the Lord.
Psalm 113: God Raises the Lowly
The psalm offers a contrast: while people chase riches, God lifts up the poor. From the dust, He raises the lowly to sit with princes.
This is divine economics: where society overlooks the needy, God honours them. Choosing God and money leads to pride and greed, but choosing God alone brings dignity to every human life.
Paul’s Letter to Timothy: Prayer for All
Paul urges the community to pray for everyone — rulers, leaders, and ordinary people. Why? Because God desires all to be saved and come to the truth.
When our hearts are set on wealth, prayer becomes shallow. But when we put God first, prayer expands our vision. The choice between God and money is also the choice between selfish ambition and universal love.
The Gospel: No Servant Can Serve Two Masters
In Luke’s Gospel, the dishonest steward acts shrewdly to secure his future. His cunning is noted, but Jesus takes the story further: trustworthiness with money is small compared to the true riches of heaven.
Then comes the piercing conclusion: “No servant can serve two masters… You cannot serve both God and money.” Here is the dividing line. Money is not evil, but it is a dangerous master. Only by serving God can money become a servant to love, justice, and mercy.
Living This Message Today
How do we live this Gospel teaching?
- Examine financial priorities: Does money drive your decisions, or does love?
- Practice just stewardship: Use your resources for good — care for family, support the poor, build up the Church.
- Balance life with love: As Bishop Gregory said, without love, even gifts and talents can consume us.
When you put God first, even money can become a tool for generosity and service.
What is God saying about money?
Scripture teaches that money is a good tool but a poor master. Jesus states plainly, “you cannot serve both God and money” (Luke 16:13). The prophets, like Amos, condemn dishonest gain and exploitation. The Gospel doesn’t demonise wealth; it warns against letting wealth command the heart, distort justice, or replace trust in God.
Used rightly, money serves love: providing for family, strengthening community, and aiding those in need. God speaks about money because it powerfully shapes priorities. When God comes first, money is ordered toward charity, worship, and mercy—never the other way around.
What is the relationship between God and money?
Between God and money the relationship is hierarchy, not partnership. God alone is Lord; money is a means. Divided loyalty creates spiritual unrest—“no servant can serve two masters.” Wealth can offer comfort and choices, but only God offers truth, forgiveness, and eternal life.
Keeping money in its place brings freedom. Stewardship means directing resources to purposes that honour God: honest work, just dealings, care for the poor, and support of the Church’s mission. When God is first, money becomes a servant of love rather than a rival deity.
What is God’s plan for money?
God’s plan is stewardship: receive gratefully, manage wisely, share generously. The Psalm proclaims that God “lifts up the lowly”; our financial decisions should mirror that mercy. In the New Testament, faithful use of small things prepares us for “true riches”—holiness, communion with God, and the good of souls.
Practically, that looks like integrity in earning, prudence in spending, and generosity in giving. Wealth, talents, and time are entrusted to advance the Gospel, strengthen families, and relieve suffering. In God’s plan, money is not the goal; love is—and money serves that end.
Does God care about my money?
Yes—because your handling of money reveals the master of your heart. Jesus talks about God and money so often because finances influence choices, relationships, and worship. When spending, saving, and giving flow from faith, they become acts of discipleship.
God cares about how resources shape your soul and your neighbour’s welfare. Paying bills responsibly, supporting family, tithing, and almsgiving are spiritual choices. Ordered to God, money becomes a blessing; worshipped as a master, it becomes a chain. Choosing God first brings balance, direction, and peace.
Choosing God Over Wealth
The readings and the Gospel all converge on a choice. Wealth fades; God alone endures. As Jesus teaches, you cannot serve both God and money. The decision we make each day — in work, family, and faith — shows which master we follow.
At St Anthony’s Parish, Marsfield, we walk together in learning to use our time, talents, and treasures for God’s kingdom. You are warmly invited to join us for Mass, to pray with us, and to discover the freedom of serving God above all.
Seek, and you shall find.
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