tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8254272216866737058.post5086636877011350810..comments2024-02-14T14:53:03.810-07:00Comments on Καθολικός διάκονος: Holy Week continuesDeacon Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01385969740195992108noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8254272216866737058.post-66881952494141474782011-04-21T15:33:25.734-06:002011-04-21T15:33:25.734-06:00As Jesus himself said- "it is easier for a ca...As Jesus himself said- "it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God." (Matt 19:24; Mark 10:25; Luke 18:25) So, yes, I think it is difficult. In the end, I do believe a person can be wealthy and be a disciple of Jesus Christ. I have the privilege of knowing several wealthy people who are truly some of the most generous, giving people I know, who give not just from their surplus wealth, but who give sacrificially, not only money, but their time and talents for the building of God's kingdom. <br /><br />At the end of the day we are to do all for God's kingdom, whether we are corporate CEOs, successful lawyers, doctors, entrepreneurs, or we do something much more humble, like be a policeman, a school teacher, take care of the city parks, or whatever. I don't believe wealth should be pursued for the sake of wealth. Quite a few of the wealthy people I know did not intentionally set out to be wealthy, but were successful in their pursuits at which they worked hard. As long as the pursuit is honest, success need not be shunned, but put to work in the service God and God's kingdom. <br /><br />To pick just one example- look at Mark Wahlberg, one of Hollywood's most bankable actors. He attends daily Mass, sees to the catechesis of his children, has a sound stable marriage, and speaks openly about his faith. He strikes me as a pretty humble guy. Of course, there was a time he was not. He underwent something of a personal conversion about some 10 years ago.Dcn Scott Dodgehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09994604395739905637noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8254272216866737058.post-15403703877256870052011-04-21T07:36:22.275-06:002011-04-21T07:36:22.275-06:00Yes, very helpful. Given the responsibility to the...Yes, very helpful. Given the responsibility to the poor, do you think it is difficult to reconcile being a good Christian and acquiring great worldly wealth? Or can these two facts coexist together in a moral fashion?shireenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10307714014368597737noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8254272216866737058.post-55565296753248355992011-04-20T11:42:36.742-06:002011-04-20T11:42:36.742-06:00Dear Shireen:
When dealing with Scripture it is i...Dear Shireen:<br /><br />When dealing with Scripture it is important to keep it in context. In the passage you mention, which comes from <a href="http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Luke+12%3A35-48" rel="nofollow">Luke 12:35-48</a>, Jesus is talking specifically to His disciples and how it is requisite for those who know and follow Him to be faithful to the call they have received and not grow weary waiting for Him. Certainly one of the ways we do this is by generously helping the poor, whom Jesus says will always be with us. We will certainly be judged on how we respond to their need. (see <a href="http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Matthew+25%3A31-46" rel="nofollow">Matthew 25:31-46</a>) The church must be careful, however, and not be content to subcontract this out wholly to the government, thus relieving us of our personal responsibility that flows from Jesus' call to personal discipleship. <br /><br />So, we render to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s. But even in rendering to Caesar what is Caesar's, we work for justice, fairness, and exercise what the Church in her teaching calls the preferential option for the poor. Church social teaching is about maintaining what the dialectical tension between solidarity and subsidiarity. <br /><br /> As far as my opinion concerning the so-called Bush tax cuts, I agree with Pres Obama. I am in favor of keeping the cuts in place for people who make up to $250,000 because this is the maximum level at which economic analysis tells us we achieve a measurable economic stimulus. After all, we do not want to put drags on economic growth and job creation. So, I favor letting the cuts expire in 2012 for people who make more than $250,000 In my opinion, this would achieve a better balance between cost-cutting and the revenue necessary to fund the gov't, preserving needed and wanted programs. <br /><br />I also think we need to sensitive about how this impacts many small business owners, who kind of get caught in no man’s land in this scenario.<br /><br />I hope that answers your question.Dcn Scott Dodgehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09994604395739905637noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8254272216866737058.post-13875574585856271892011-04-20T08:55:11.523-06:002011-04-20T08:55:11.523-06:00Dcn. Scott, based on "to whom God has given m...Dcn. Scott, based on "to whom God has given more, of him shall more be required" do you think then that the tax cut for the wealthy should expire?shireenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10307714014368597737noreply@blogger.com