The right to own and legally use property is deeply ingrained in the Bill of Rights and psyche of the citizens of the United States. Some take that right to own property to an extreme and turn possessions and the acquisition thereof into their God. They worship at the altar of the almighty dollar. The ownership and legal use of property is also a Natural Law right and a teaching of the Catholic Church. Jesus taught us that we will not get to heaven based on the number and value of our possessions. Instead, it depends on whether we acknowledge that we are God’s possessions and that everything we are and everything we have is a gift from God. He wants us to use those gifts and enjoy them to the best of our ability for ourselves and for others. Jesus also knew that giving to others what we do not need for ourselves would be a cross many would not be willing to carry. So he taught his disciples that “Whoever does not carry his cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.” Do we really want to be a disciple of Jesus? Are we willing to take up our cross and follow Jesus?
