Church,
This past Sunday we heard it proclaimed that Jesus is rescuing us from participating in systems that call evil ‘good.’ We looked specifically at the logic of Mammon in the story of the Rich Young Ruler. That Christ is rescuing us from these systems means that he is rescuing both the role of oppressed AND oppressor!
Part of this rescue is giving us eyes to see the logic of Mammon at work all around us. As overwhelming as it can be, we are being invited to reckon with reality so that we can begin the active work of removing ourselves from these systems. I am personally wading through what it means for me to work in an industry that has, in many cases, led the charge in racial segregation and marginalization of the poor in the United States.
If you’re interested, many of my recent realizations came from a discussion of a book called The Color of Law by Richard Rothstein. I can also commend Segregated by Design — a short (17min) film that lays out some of the historical lessons found in the book.
Real estate provides a good example of how the logic of Mammon is so pervasive still today, but it is not alone. This logic has come to define and dictate much of how we see the world and how we relate to one another. Jesus is exposing the paradigm of Mammon and is inviting us to join him in his reverse-order Kingdom life today!
What comes to mind as you meditate on this good news? In what setting does the logic of Mammon feel natural? Is there a setting where it feels unnatural?
God is calling us into a new way of being, but one of the first steps is exposing reality for what it is. Instead of having to figure it out immediately or run away from it, let’s be curious together as God reveals ways we have been complicit in systems of injustice so that we can repent and be free!
May the peace of Christ be with you always,
Fr. Spencer
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