ANSWER by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM on May 28, 2004

Dear John: I am reminded of an orientation meeting I attended as part of the application process to be hired by a sales firm. Our "presenters" were both relatively young and began making $250,000 - 500,000 within 5 years of them coming into the company. They "preached" to us the power of positive thinking, but it was more than that. They taught the power of total focus. We were not to let anything get in our way. Anything that disturbed our motivation, our positive thinking, our enthusiasm was to be discarded -- even if the negative influence was the wife. Needless to say, both of these rich men were divorced. Anytime we put anything above God and His values then we are on the wrong track. Whether we make a living as a salesman, a postman, a beggar man, chief, if we place that above God, if we fail to realize that anything and everything we have, riches or not, is given to us by God, then we are on the wrong track. One can even be a monk or nun in a monastery and find oneself placing ministry or whatever above God. When that happens that monk, nun, or religious order is on the wrong track. I remember when Pope John Paul II visited Mexico early in his Pontificate (it may have been his first overseas trip, I don't remember). The Pope was standing in front of a throng of people, the TV cameras were focused on him. In the front rows were dozens of sisters. They were either not wearing habits, or were know to not wear them most of the time. The Pope looked at them, in that stern fatherly way that he does that rips right through to your soul, and pointed his finger at them and said (as best as I can remember the words), "Now you sisters need to be wearing your habits. You are brides of Christ, not social workers." Any of us can lose our focus. Our focus must always be on Christ. When Peter was focused on Jesus, he actually walked on water. As soon as Peter noticed the storm around him, he began to sink. No matter how much money we make, if we look away from Jesus, we will sink. Now each of us has a vocation and has a responsibility to fulfill that vocation. Those with a secular vocation, such as marriage or single life, are obligated to fulfill their vocation just as anyone with a religious vocation must do. This responsibility includes working. St. Paul, I think it was, said: Those who do not work, do not eat. (obviously this teaching does not refer to the infirmed, ill, or disabled who cannot work). There is no sin making a million dollars. I know millionaires who really do get the camel through the eye of the Needle. By the way, that verse is not taking about a sewing needle. The "Needle" was a narrow gate in Jerusalem; a back door as-it-were. Because this gate was narrow any camels weighed down with too many possessions could not fit through the gate. This is the danger whether one is a millionaire or not. We must be detached from ALL our possessions. Nothing wrong with possession, but there is something wrong with being attached to them or with pride in them. When we are attached, then the possessions become a focus that is other than a focus on God. In the Gospel we see this teaching about attachment. The apostles dropped what they were doing, left behind all that they had, and followed Him. When a coat was stolen from one of the Apostles, Jesus told him to go find the thief and give the thief his cloak too. That is detachment. In the Great Classic by Victor Hugoi Les Miserable, Jean Valjean stole the silverware from a bishop. When he was caught and brought to the bishop by the police the bishop not only told the police that Jean Valjean did not steal the silverware but the Bishop actually gave his silver candlesticks to him as well and sent the police on their way. As a result of this detachment of the Bishop over these very expensive silver candle sticks and other silverware, Jean Valjean later reformed and became a highly respected citizen (under a different name) and was elected Mayor of a small French village. That is detachment, and an example of what detachment can do not only for oneself, but for others. If you remain detached, and have an attitude of stewardship, then you can work as a salesman, set goals and reach those goals. Why? Because you will be setting goals and reaching those goals for God and not for money. The money is a gift that God gives you. Like the parable of the talents, God expect you to take His bounty and produce more bounty with it. Make as your goal to make as much money as your can without damaging your spirituality or losing focus away from God, your family, and your parish. Do not neglect the people around you for the lure of success and riches. Rather, keep all things in balance and offer yourself and your job to God. With that money you can then support your family as your ought, and be generous with your money to give to the cause of Christ wherever God leads. In this day and age many parishes and almost all apostolates are suffering from lack of donations. There is plenty of ground to fertilize with the money that will help to grow God's ministry. As one millionaire friend of mine once said, "Money is for spending on the works of God, not hoarding or accumulating stuff." I hope this helps, if not, or you need a little more, please feel free to post a followup. I know that this question is on the minds of MANY Christians. God Bless, Bro. Ignatius Mary