Psalm 49: The Folly of Materialism

READING THE BOOK OF PSALMS

PART XXXVII

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Psalm 49

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The aspect of Psalm 49 that grips me is the principle of

You can’t take it with you.

This is always an important message, but especially so in a materialistic, consumer society.

My maternal grandmother died in August 2019.  My girlfriend died two months later, to the day.  I did much to clean out both apartments.  Those two experiences pushed me further away from materialism.  I had already been moving away from it, but I accelerated the pace of my march closer to minimalism.

We accumulate possessions during our lifetimes.  Then, after we died, others must decide what to do with that which we left.  The New Testament is correct; life does not consist of the abundance of possessions.  The greatest aspects of life are intangible.

So, to apply St. Augustine of Hippo’s definition of sin as disordered love to materialism, objects can become idols if we love them more than we should.  At a minimum, if our possessions–many of which we store away and live well without using or visiting, and seldom ponder–make us feel better psychologically, we create and maintain burdens for those who must clean out after us.  This may not constitute a major moral or theological matter, but it is real.  I recall a story about two daughters cleaning out their mother’s house.  One daughter found a box labeled

Strings Too Short to Use.

Money and possessions are common idols, for many people trust in them.  People should trust in God instead.  Having what we need and use is fine but make an idol of it is sinful.

KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR

JANUARY 11, 2023 COMMON ERA

THE FEAST OF SAINT THEODOSIUS THE CENOBIARCH, ROMAN CATHOLIC MONK

THE FEAST OF CHARLES WILLIAM EVEREST, EPISCOPAL PRIEST, POET, AND HYMN WRITER

THE FEAST OF IGNATIUS SPENCER, ANGLICAN THEN ROMAN CATHOLIC PRIEST AND APOSTLE OF ECUMENICAL PRAYER; AND HIS PROTÉGÉ, ELIZABETH PROUT, FOUNDER OF THE SISTERS OF THE CROSS AND PASSION

THE FEAST OF MIEP GIES, RIGHTEOUS GENTILE

THE FEAST OF SAINT PAULINUS II OF AQUILEIA, ROMAN CATHOLIC PATRIARCH OF AQUILEIA

THE FEAST OF RICHARD FREDERICK LITTLEDALE, ANGLICAN PRIEST AND TRANSLATOR OF HYMNS

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