Why are the chalice, tabernacle, and monstrance gold when God tells us to be humble?
What else should we use gold for? Jewelry? Fillings for my teeth? Connections for my audio cables from my TV to my DVD. God has given us this precious metal called gold, why not offer it back to God in our worship?
Sometimes people make the argument that if we saved all that sort of expense and just had simple churches and simple decorations, we could give much money to the poor. Remember the story in the Gospels where the woman anointed Jesus’ head with costly perfumed oil. Some were indignant at the “waste” of this oil and said it was worth 300 days wages and could have been sold and given to the poor. Jesus’ answer? “Let her alone. Why do you make trouble for her? She has done a good thing for me. The poor you will always have with you, and whenever you wish you can do good to them, but you will not always have me.” (Mk 14:6-7) There is no reason we cannot help the poor and offer God nice things. We should do both.
God instructed Moses in the construction of God’s sanctuary: “Of pure gold you shall make its plates and cups, as well as its pitchers and bowls for pouring libations.” (Ex 25:29) It seems reasonable to me that we continue to use gold for our worship today.
If an important person were to come over to dinner, or you were celebrating a very special occasion, you certainly would break out your best china and dishes and not use paper plates and plastic silverware, would you? Who is more important than Jesus, our king, our “Hosanna”, our savior, our God? True humility would tell us that if anything or anyone deserves the best we have, it is Jesus Christ!
-Fr. Greg
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