Gospel in Art: You cannot serve God and money

Single cover 'Money, Money, Money' by Abba, released 1 November 1976, Studio Metronome, Stockholm, Sweden Labels: Polar (Sweden), Epic (UK), Atlantic (US) © Wikimedia

Source: Christian Art

Gospel of 7 November 2026
Luke 16:9-15

At that time: Jesus said to his disciples, 'I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous wealth, so that when it fails they may receive you into the eternal dwellings.

'One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. If then you have not been faithful with the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches? And if you have not been faithful with that which is another's, who will give you that which is your own? No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.'

The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all these things, and they ridiculed him. And he said to them, 'You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God.'

Reflection on the single cover

"Money, Money, Money." Even reading those three words, many of us can already hear ABBA singing! Written by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus in 1976, and recorded that May, the song gives voice to a hardworking woman who can barely keep up with her bills. "I work all night, I work all day, to pay the bills I have to pay…" She dreams of finding a wealthy partner or winning a fortune in Las Vegas or Monaco. Beneath the wonderfully theatrical music lies a familiar longing: surely life would be easier if we had a little more money.

And, of course, money does make life more comfortable. Being able to pay the rent, heat our homes and put food on the table matters enormously. Jesus understands these needs. Yet in today's Gospel, he asks us to consider the place money occupies in our hearts: "You cannot serve God and money." The danger comes when earning and possessing begin to govern every decision, when we measure people by their income, or when having enough quietly becomes wanting more, and more and more.

Jesus invites us to use what we have to build relationships and care for others. A meal offered, a struggling family helped, an employee paid fairly: these are ways of putting money at the service of love. His words about being faithful in small things bring this teaching into our everyday choices. We need not wait until we are wealthy to become generous! Whatever our circumstances, we can aways give something already now, today.

The song appeared on ABBA's 1976 album Arrival, whose famous cover shows the four members seated inside the rounded glass cockpit of a helicopter. The photographs were taken at Barkarby airfield near Stockholm, with the cover concept and layout credited to Rune Söderqvist and photographer Ola Lager. It is a memorable visual expression of the album's title: the group has, quite literally, arrived or landed at great success. The cover I am showing here, is the single cover. Album and single covers deserve recognition as an art form in their own right. Through photography, lettering, colour and composition, they give music a visual identity, often becoming as familiar as the songs themselves. I think we can all picture covers that we remember. Little works of art.

LINKS

Christian Art: www.christian.art
Today's reading: https://christian.art/daily-gospel-reading/luke-16-9-15-2026/