1. “Take care to guard against all greed.…” Greed arises when our heart loves material things and possessions in selfish and disordered ways. God created “things” – material reality – for a purpose: to help us fulfill our mission in this life.
2. Our heart can grow to love these things and to love accumulating wealth for its own sake, not for the purpose of using it to fulfill our mission and save our soul.
3. “Late have I loved You, O Beauty ever ancient, ever new, late have I loved You. You were within me, and I looked outside; I sought you, and miserable as I was, I longed for creatures, I was detained by the wonderful works of your hands” (St. Augustine, Confessions).
4. What dilutes my love is disordered affection for the things God created. I should resolve today to love him first and above all material things. Amen.