Vatican City, Oct 19, 2004 / 22:00 pm
Pope John Paul II spoke on the “Vanity of riches,” the theme of the first part of Psalm 48, in today's general audience in St. Peter's Square, and emphasized that to be rich is not an advantage in this life if it takes one away from life with God.
The Pope said that this psalm speaks of the just man who "must confront 'evil days' because the malice of his foes surrounds him' and men 'boast of the vastness of their riches'. The conclusion reached by the just man is ... that great riches is not an advantage; on the contrary, it is better to be poor and to live as one with God."
The rich man "is convinced that he is able to buy everything, even death, trying almost to corrupt it, as he did in order to obtain all other things, success, triumph over others in the social and political sphere, unpunished abuse of power, eating to his heart's content, comforts, pleasures,"said the Holy Father.