WEALTH AND THE COMMON GOOD
A morning with the Lord
In our Gospel reading this morning, our Lord Jesus shared how He was once invited to resolve an inheritance dispute. Shaking His head sadly, He sighed, “A man’s life is not made secure by what he owns, even when he has more than he needs.”
“Watch, and be on your guard against avarice of any kind,” He warned, and launched into a parable about a rich man who worked tirelessly to amass wealth for himself, dreaming of a carefree, luxurious retirement.
Honestly, it sounded like a pretty solid retirement plan to me. I made a mental note to ask our Lord for the man’s financial adviser’s number.
But our Lord continued, “He died before he could enjoy his wealth.” He fixed me with a gimlet stare, as if reading my thoughts (which, let’s be honest, He probably was). “So, what did you learn from this fool?”
I had a feeling, “Oh, what a pity!” wasn’t the response He was looking for, so I defaulted to St. Peter’s failsafe line, “You have the words of eternal life, Lord,” and waited for Him to fill in the blanks.
Our Lord gave me His unmistakable I-know-what-you’re-doing look and replied dryly, “What a pity, indeed!”
Yup—He was definitely reading my thoughts!
After a beat, He said with exaggerated patience, “My dear child, store up treasures in heaven! Make yourself rich in the sight of God!”
Wrestling with the Lesson Jesus Taught
I thought, “What does this even mean?”
Our Lord, catching my confusion, hid a mischievous smile. “Abba, Holy Spirit and I did not create you to be spoon-fed, my child! The human race is our finest creation, endowed with both reason and faith–use them well! Didn’t Father David Garcia give your parish a series of lectures on Catholic social teachings? Draw from the Church’s teachings and the wisdom of the ancient philosophers. Cooperate with Me and I will guide you.”
So now I’m expected to synthesise what I have learnt so far? Oh joy.
The Nature of Wealth
Clement of Alexandria reasoned that wealth itself is not sinful. “How could we ever do good to our neighbour if none of us possessed anything?”
2nd Vatican Council: Wealth, when acquired and used rightly, is a blessing meant for perfecting ourselves and serving others as ministers of God’s providence. (Gaudium et Spes, 10)
St. Basil the Great compared generosity with wealth to flowing water: “The greater the frequency with which it is drawn, the purer it is, while it becomes foul if the fountain remains unused.”
Jesus’ Challenge: He smiled approvingly at my answer. “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” He leaned forward, encouraging, “What else?”
The Common Good: I think that’s what You’re referring to - when You say “With God all things are possible”. It’s a foundational principle of the Church’s social teaching: creating social conditions that enable all people to flourish, with special attention to human rights, social development, and peace. It is a shared responsibility - individuals, communities and governments all play a part. (CCC 1905-1927)
Ancient Philosophers: Socrates, Plato, Aristotle—the intellectual forefathers of much of Christian thought were united in their conviction that: when individuals, communities and governments prioritise wealth over the common good, it leads to conflict and division between the rich and the poor. But when the common good is genuinely pursued, everything else falls into place.
At this point, I was so impressed with my own intelligence that I felt like a balloon, puffed up and floating…until the Lord’s next words brought me abruptly back to terra firma.
“To quote my brother, James, ‘Be doers of the word, and not hearers only,’” He chided gently, “So, how do you live this out?”
I thought long and hard before replying.
From Knowledge to Action – Living the Common Good
Since achieving the common good requires creating the right social conditions, I believe the best place to start is from the top—at the level of government. Then, we can look at how communities, families and individuals can each play their part.
Government: In Singapore, our government has fostered unity and solidarity, ensuring better jobs, rising real wages, widespread home ownership, and strong support systems for education, healthcare and retirement. This success is rooted in collective effort and a shared sense of purpose. Singapore’s commitment to the common good is also clear in its care for the less fortunate and its promotion of philanthropy. Ranked third in the World Giving Index, Singapore’s generosity is seen not just in donations but also in volunteerism – though it’s humbling to see Indonesia and Kenya ranked even higher!
Church Community: We’re called to give not just our money, but also of ourselves, serving both within our parish and beyond. The harvest is rich, but the labourers are few.
Family: The family is the “domestic Church”, the first school of faith and values. We teach our children generosity best by modelling it ourselves. As Pope Francis reminds us, “Education is above all a matter of love and responsibility handed down from one generation to another”.
Individuals: We are called to be a light to the world and the salt of the earth. Each of us has a role to play in serving the common good—whether in our families, schools, workplaces, or wider communities. As Father David Garcia wisely puts it: “Earn money honestly, spend it responsibly, save it prudentially, invest it wisely, donate it generously and receive it gratefully.”
Sent to Serve
The call is clear: true wealth lies not in what we accumulate for ourselves, but in how we use our gifts and resources for the good of others. We are stewards, not owners—entrusted with the task of serving the common good, to build up the kingdom of God through just governance, generous communities, nurturing families, and individuals committed to living out our faith in tangible ways.
This is how we store up treasures in heaven.
This is how we become truly rich in the sight of God.
As I finished, I looked up at our Lord, expectant and unsure. He met my gaze with infinite love and gave a slow, quiet nod. Then He said,
“Now… go in peace, glorifying the Lord by your life.”
And with that, I knew what I had to do.
Article by Patricia Teh, HFC Blog Guest Contributor