Essence of the Law

Gospel: Luke 11: 42-46

The essence of the Jewish law had always been care for the poor and marginalized because the Jewish people had been poor and marginalized themselves.  The laws on tithing stipulated that such would go to the care of the poor.  However, in Jesus' day most collections were now going for the support of the Temple and the religious authorities of the day.  Very little was now being used to care for the poor, and this is the point Jesus was making in today's Gospel portion.

In early Christianity the collection offered at Mass was originally designed for the use in caring for the poor.  It was a restoration of the original Jewish practice.  However, in our time most of the collection is now used for the upkeep of property and salaries of the clergy.  One might object and point to the charitable works of the church, which is fine.  But consider: is the church present in any appreciable way in poor communities? When parishes are to close, where are they located? Do we not contribute as much to poverty as we do to alleviate it?

Today's reading challenges us to rethink our relationship with money and with each other, this time in a communal way.  Are our institutions, laws, and practices designed for the care of the poor and marginalized, or have we instead created yet another pyramid scheme for the benefit of a small elite to the detriment of the poor?