Financial systems ‘built on sand’

Monday Pope Benedict XVI took stock of the global credit crisis saying the world's financial systems are "built on sand" and that only the works of God have "solid reality."

Referring to Matthew 7, the Pope said, ''He who builds only on visible and tangible things like success, career and money builds the house of his life on sand.” He added, ''We are now seeing, in the collapse of major banks, that money vanishes, it is nothing. All these things that appear to be real are in fact secondary. Only God's words are a solid reality.”

Jesus' two-thousand-year-old words seem very relevant today:

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also (Matthew 6:19-21).

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?

"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own" (Matthew 6:25-34).

Amen.

Login to comment

Comments (5)

Isn't there somewhere written, "where men build, those things will perish, but what God builds will last an eternity." The crisis as seen today really comes from the greed of many people. The ones who thought to make a fast buck in selling homes people could not afford, to the ones who lent the money in the first place so they could also profit. To the ones who through ignorance or greed also allowed it to happen. Put what you have in the hands of God, be a good steward of what he gives to us everyday and you will come out a lot better than you may be later. He loves us and wants us to achieve our dreams, and he gave us a choice as to how we achieve it. Love God and Love one another. In God's Grace John
i am starting my own photography business in my hometown and as exciting as it is, its also quite scary as well with how the economy in america is. also im very anxious about this upcoming election as well.

when reading this article it really gave me the peace that i needed to hear. i needed that reminder that the financial system is built upon sand and only the Word of God is built upon stone and CANNOT BE SHAKEN!
There needs to be a little leavening of this... I don't really want to live in nests like birds, nor in holes like foxes, and I would like to have somewhere to rest my head. If I EVER hope to have my own home, I must store up a mite of treasure on earth. That is not the purpose of my life, and if I fail in this rather selfish goal, it is not something to worry unduly about. This is really a very delicate balance. If no church member had income, there would be no tithes or offerings, and the church secretary would have to find another job. Food is also good to have, although I have lived for months on the generosity of others, sometimes as a byproduct of work I volunteered to immerse myself in. What I try to remind myself of it, possessions are to be valued for their use, not for pride of ownership.
Pope Benedict thinks the worlds banking system is'built on sand' I wonder what he thinks of the Vatican bank laundering money for the Italian Mafia? It would be a real miracle to see the Vatican giving it's untold riches to the poor!
Only God's works are a solid reality -- Yes , but it is not all 'pie in the sky when you die' the ' steak on the plate while you wait can be a life saver for many if the Church follows it's Master & gives to the poor.

You Have Our Attention, Lord
A prayer by Max Lucado - October 2008

Our friends lost their house
The co-worker lost her job
The couple next door lost their retirement
It seems that everyone is losing their footing

This scares us. This bailout with billions.
These rumblings of depression.
These headlines: ominous, thunderous -
“Going Broke!” “Going Down!” “Going Under!” “What's Next?”

What is next?

We’re listening. And we’re admitting: You were right.

You told us this would happen.
You shot straight about loving stuff and worshipping money.
Greed will break your heart, You warned.
Money will love you and leave you.
Don’t put your hope in riches that are so uncertain.

You were right. Money is a fickle lover and we just got dumped.

We were wrong to spend what we didn’t have.
Wrong to neglect prayer and ignore the poor.
Wrong to think we ever earned a dime. We didn’t. You gave it. And now, tell us Father, are You taking it?

We’re listening. And we’re praying.
Could you make something good out of this mess?

Of course You can. You always have.
You led slaves out of slavery,
Built temples out of ruins,
Turned stormy waves into a glassy pond and water into sweet wine.
This disorder awaits your order. So do we.

Through Christ,
Amen

God will always give what is right to His people who cry to Him night and day, and He will not be slow to answer them. (Luke 18:7 NCV)

See the latest in:

Promotion

promo 1 promo 2
promo 3 promo 4

Donate Now