From time to time it will happen that I actually pay attention to the Scripture readings for some random Sunday.
Today I couldn’t help but notice that one of the readings for the Sunday Catholic mass directly addresses what is in fact the biggest underlying issue at DKos— MONEY. And around here we all, Christian or not, pretty much understand that the love of money is the root of all evil. (1 Timothy 6:10)
It is clear that about 99% of all the issues we are confronting today across the world go back to who is profiting/profiteering from the constant abuse of individuals and/or the environment. Daily, in whatever clever ways can be devised, the rich work out methods to make yet more money by stealing from most of humanity and the planet. Moment to moment those with financial incentives cook up new ways to screw the rest of us. As we know, of course, some of the mechanisms go back centuries, even millennia.
So, when I was going through the readings for today’s mass I was seized by the following from the Letter of St. James, 5:1-6
Come now, you rich, weep and wail over your impending miseries. Your wealth has rotted away, you clothes have become moth-eaten, your gold and silver have corroded, and that corrosion will be a testimony against you; it will devour your flesh like fire. You have stored up treasure for the last days. Behold, the wages you withheld from the workers who harvested your fields are crying aloud; and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts. You have lived on earth in luxury and pleasure; you have fattened your hearts for the day of slaughter. You have condemned; you have murdered the righteous one; he offers you no resistance.
Pretty clear, right? And yet, busy as some are saying they are “defending the right to life” here we are, those of us already born, being killed off by their total disregard for the planet and its inhabitants, be they human, animal or plant.
So, I am hoping that all those Catholic politicians who actually attend mass today are paying attention. Somebody is speaking to them, rather directly.