What about......?

One question I keep getting from people, especially people who have read my book, is 'What about...?'

Like  someone from Michigan who said "I want to send my kids to a Catholic school, but it is expensive.  Is that acceptable?"

Or someone from Calgary who said "I love art, and have some expensive pieces.  What about those?"

Someone from Quebec said "I think part of theology of the body means we need to treat our bodies well, and eat highly nutritious, preferably organic foods.  But eating like that is expensive.  Is that ok?"

What about putting our kids in sports?  What about developping hobbies and skills? What about planting a flower garden? What about going on family vacations?  What about enriching experiences like museums and zoos?

I like what Pope Leo XIII said in Rerum Novarum "True, no one is commanded to distribute to others that which is required for his own needs and those of his household; nor even to give away what is reasonably required to keep up becomingly his condition in life, "for no one ought to live other than becomingly" (Paragraph 22- worth reading in context!)

So-  it comes back to conscience again!  In your judgement, would art or camping or sports be necessary for living becomingly?  

Remember that we are stewards, and that our wealth does not really belong to us but to God.  God wants to provide us with good things, but wisdom, prudence, and the sound judtgement of your conscience will be necessary to know exacty what God would have us own!

Just remember the caution of St Basil the Great;

“By a certain wily artifice of the devil, countless pretexts of expenditure are proposed to the rich.” 

There will always be another thing to covet, another thing you could justify as allowing you live 'becomngly'.  This for me is another reason why the luxury budget has proven so fruitful. I may justify some gardening supllies or camping trips with the family, but if it cannot be easily justified, I have also allowed myself a certain amount of money for those luxuries.