“Let’s Break the Rules and Talk About Money.” A Sermon for the 16th Sunday after Pentecost

A sermon for the Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost preached at the campus ministry service for the St. Thomas Aquinas Episcopal Campus Ministry at West Virginia UniversityFocus Text: Luke 16:19-31; 1 Timothy 6:6-19“Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” (Matthew 25:40)“If you cannot recognize Christ in the beggar, you will not find Him in the Chalice.” (St. John Chrysostom) “You don’t see many hearses pulling Uhauls.” (Liz LaMoreaux)“He who dies with the most toys doesn’t win, he dies.” (Unknown)All of these quotes have something to say about the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus in conjunction with St. Paul’s oft misquoted statement, “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.” Take it all together, and it has a whole lot to say about each of us and how we choose to live our lives, how we set priorities, and who to what we ultimately devote ourselves to — God or some other alternative.There’s not much to say here. Just listen.