Is being rich a sin

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roelblomsma

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Jesus mentioned something like: “It’s easier for a camel to go through the hole of a needle than for a rich man to enter in heaven.” First of all, what is being rich? Secondly, for example, many supernumerario of the Opus Dei (whom in general I appreciate very much) are wealthy people with high possitions.

I’m not rich. But I do have two kids that I would like to send to good universities. Should I work hard to make a lot of money or should I try to be poor (funny how that might sound)?
 
roelblomsma said:
Jesus mentioned something like: “It’s easier for a camel to go through the hole of a needle than for a rich man to enter in heaven.” First of all, what is being rich? Secondly, for example, many supernumerario of the Opus Dei (whom in general I appreciate very much) are wealthy people with high possitions.

I’m not rich. But I do have two kids that I would like to send to good universities. Should I work hard to make a lot of money or should I try to be poor (funny how that might sound)?
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You should do things which help you to show love to others. Since your act of sending your kids to universities is an act of charity, it is certainly not a problem.
It is when we keep money for its own sake that it becomes an idol, keeping us from love.
 
Being rich is not a sin; its how you spend your money that courts. For example, wasting it and spending it on things that you want rather than need.

Rebecca
 
I think the crux of the question has to go to “what is rich” in a Christian, theological sense. Christ does not preach against “treasure” just where that treasure is.
In Acts 5, we read:
1 But a man named Anani’as with his wife Sapphi’ra sold a piece of property, 2 and with his wife’s knowledge he kept back some of the proceeds, and brought only a part and laid it at the apostles’ feet. 3 But Peter said, “Anani’as, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back part of the proceeds of the land? 4 While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? How is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.” 5 When Anani’as heard these words, he fell down and died. And great fear came upon all who heard of it.
So the land and the money was Ananias’ to do with as he pleased. His crime was not in having the land or the money but in lying to God (which lie sprang from greed).

Your desire for your children’s education is not a selfish one and does not stem from greed, so your desire in this would not, in my opinion, be sinful.

Peace
James
 
roelblomsma said:
Jesus mentioned something like: “It’s easier for a camel to go through the hole of a needle than for a rich man to enter in heaven.” First of all, what is being rich? Secondly, for example, many supernumerario of the Opus Dei (whom in general I appreciate very much) are wealthy people with high possitions.

I’m not rich. But I do have two kids that I would like to send to good universities. Should I work hard to make a lot of money or should I try to be poor (funny how that might sound)?
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No, being rich is not sinful . It is what you do or do not do with those resources which ***can ***be sinful.
You should do the very best you can with what you have to educate your children well. Peace, Carlan.
 
No… Being rich is not a sin… It’s what you do with your riches that may be sinful.

I like to draw from the story of Ebenezer Scrooge in Charles Dickens “A Christmas Carole”… Before Ebenezer’s conversion he was a sinful man… Then he was visited by three spirits, and his old friend Jacob Marley (now dead)… He awake a new man on Christmas morning and what he did with his wealth brought about Christmas on a daily basis.

With out Ebenezer’s money, the poor would not have been fed, Tiny Tim may had died and joy would have been a little lesser in Old London Town.
 
Will_B said:
No… Being rich is not a sin… It’s what you do with your riches that may be sinful.

I like to draw from the story of Ebenezer Scrooge in Charles Dickens “A Christmas Carole”… Before Ebenezer’s conversion he was a sinful man… Then he was visited by three spirits, and his old friend Jacob Marley (now dead)… He awake a new man on Christmas morning and what he did with his wealth brought about Christmas on a daily basis.

With out Ebenezer’s money, the poor would not have been fed, Tiny Tim may had died and joy would have been a little lesser in Old London Town.
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And what happened?? Scrooge gets no gredit for changing. 😃
The very name is synonymous (sp?) with greed and averice…

Peace
James
 
roelblomsma said:
Jesus mentioned something like: “It’s easier for a camel to go through the hole of a needle than for a rich man to enter in heaven.” First of all, what is being rich? Secondly, for example, many supernumerario of the Opus Dei (whom in general I appreciate very much) are wealthy people with high possitions.

I’m not rich. But I do have two kids that I would like to send to good universities. Should I work hard to make a lot of money or should I try to be poor (funny how that might sound)?
Click to expand...
If you have wealth, you must be detached from it. So you don’t use your wealth to be a glutton, or lazy, or a show-off. You must still work hard and practice temperance and you have a duty to put your possessions to good use for the common good as your station in life requires.
 
From a Catholic POV, having money isn’t a problem, it’s a person’s attitude to money. Can’t remember the reference, but Saint Paul said in one of his letters “Love of money is the root of all evil”, the emphasis is on the “Love of…” It’s when money becomes an idol or is used badly that it becomes a problem.

Also, remember the parable of the rich man and Lazarus (the poor man, not the man Jesus raised from the dead). In the parable, the rich man was condemned not because he had money, but because he didn’t use it to help Lazarus, the poor man.
 
Remember also the parable of the talents where the one servant is afraid of his master and merely buries the talent, doesn’t increase it for the master, and the master yells at him and takes the talent away from him.

Matthew 25:14-30

I know the interpretation is our gifts from God, but it also applies to financial resources.
 
It’s not the wealth in and of itself that is a sin, it is the greed and the pride that usually accompanies that wealth.
 
JRKH said:
And what happened?? Scrooge gets no gredit for changing. 😃
The very name is synonymous (sp?) with greed and averice…

Peace
James
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It’s that the cross all Christians bare? >> We were once sinners, and most remember our sins… We convert, do good deeds and no one remembers the deeds… However, the deeds are not to beingus glory, but to help those in need and bring glory to God. >> Even Mother Theresa is in question today?
 
Will_B said:
It’s that the cross all Christians bare? >> We were once sinners, and most remember our sins… We convert, do good deeds and no one remembers the deeds… However, the deeds are not to beingus glory, but to help those in need and bring glory to God. >> Even Mother Theresa is in question today?
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Very true…👍

I thought of the “scrooge gets not credit” line years ago as I pondered how the media and society in general loves to pounce on “scandal” while ignoring sanctity and other positive things in peoples’ lives. It just struck me that this could be seen as the “scrooge syndrome”. It doesn’t matter how you reform, society will only remember the bad…

Peace
James
 
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