January 16.  Mr Msimang continued to throw questions at the young people. “Money and riches is a tricky issue when it comes to righteousness.  Are tax collectors today, (working for SARS) regarded as sinners as they were in Jesus day, because they worked for the Romans, an unjust power?   Where would sinfulness be in the public domain, corruption, fraud, unjust tender processing?  But is everyone working in the public domain necessarily corrupt?   Even in climate matters there are sinful situations, wastage of resources, poaching, pollution and much more.     

Jesus saw Levi sitting at the tax office and he said to him, “Follow me.”  And he rose and followed him.   The scribes said, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” Jesus heard it and said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.  I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.   Mark 2:13-17. 

Pope Francis: The worship of the ancient gold calf has returned in the idolatry of money and the dictatorship of an impersonal economy lacking a truly human purpose.  EG55.  I urge you to a generous solidarity and return of economics and finance to an ethical approach which favours human beings. EG 58.  Reflect and share.