No servant can serve two masters

10 NOVEMBER (Lk 16,9-15)

The temptation to follow many masters was a daily event of the Lord’s people, a reason of the seduction that always rushes against the worshipers of the true God, showing them roundabout ways on which to set out. However, the heart is one, either you hand it over to the true God or to the false, lying god, built by human hands. At the time of the prophet Elijah the condition of the people of the Lord was really a disaster.
Long afterward, in the third year, the Lord spoke to Elijah, “Go, present yourself to Ahab,” he said, “that I may send rain upon the earth.” So Elijah went to present himself to Ahab. Now the famine in Samaria was bitter, and Ahab had summoned Obadiah, his vizier, who was a zealous follower of the Lord. When Jezebel was murdering the prophets of the Lord, Obadiah took a hundred prophets, hid them away fifty each in two caves, and supplied them with food and drink. Ahab said to Obadiah, “Come, let us go through the land to all sources of water and to all the streams. We may find grass and save the horses and mules, so that we shall not have to slaughter any of the beasts.” Dividing the land to explore between them, Ahab went one way by himself, Obadiah another way by himself. As Obadiah was on his way, Elijah met him. Recognizing him, Obadiah fell prostrate and asked, “Is it you, my lord Elijah?” “Yes,” he answered. “Go tell your master, ‘Elijah is here!'” But Obadiah said, “What sin have I committed, that you are handing me over to Ahab to have me killed? As the Lord, your God, lives, there is no nation or kingdom where my master has not sent in search of you. When they replied, ‘He is not here,’ he made each kingdom and nation swear they could not find you. And now you say, ‘Go tell your master: Elijah is here!’ After I leave you, the spirit of the Lord will carry you to some place I do not know, and when I go to inform Ahab and he does not find you, he will kill me. Your servant has revered the Lord from his youth. Have you not been told, my lord, what I did when Jezebel was murdering the prophets of the Lord – that I hid a hundred of the prophets of the Lord, fifty each in two caves, and supplied them with food and drink? And now you say, ‘Go tell your master: Elijah is here!’ He will kill me!” Elijah answered, “As the Lordof hosts lives, whom I serve, I will present myself to him today.”
So Obadiah went to meet Ahab and informed him. Ahab came to meet Elijah, and when he saw Elijah, said to him, “Is it you, you disturber of Israel?” “It is not I who disturb Israel,” he answered, “but you and your family, by forsaking the commands of the Lordand following the Baals. Now summon all Israel to me on Mount Carmel, as well as the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal and the four hundred prophets of Asherah who eat at Jezebel’s table.” So Ahab sent to all the Israelites and had the prophets assemble on Mount Carmel. Elijah appealed to all the people and said, “How long will you straddle the issue? If the Lord is God, follow him; if Baal, follow him.” The people, however, did not answer him. So Elijah said to the people, “I am the only surviving prophet of the Lord, and there are four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal. Give us two young bulls. Let them choose one, cut it into pieces, and place it on the wood, but start no fire. I shall prepare the other and place it on the wood, but shall start no fire. You shall call on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the Lord. The God who answers with fire is God.” All the people answered, “Agreed!” (1Kings 18,1-24).
Even in the days of Jesus the Lord’s people lived in the greatest confusion.

I tell you, make friends for yourselves with dishonest wealth, so that when it fails, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings. The person who is trustworthy in very small matters is also trustworthy in great ones; and the person who is dishonest in very small matters is also dishonest in great ones. If, therefore, you are not trustworthy with dishonest wealth, who will trust you with true wealth? If you are not trustworthy with what belongs to another, who will give you what is yours? No servant can serve two masters.He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.” The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all these things and sneered at him. And he said to them, “You justify yourselves in the sight of others, but God knows your hearts; for what is of human esteem is an abomination in the sight of God.

We are called to make a choice, either God or wealth. We cannot serve two masters. God is jealous of our hearts. He wants it all for himself. Its sharing is impossible.
Virgin Mary, Mother of the Redemption, Angels and Saints help us in our decision.