As a Catholic reflecting on how wealth should be handled in society, I’ve looked to the Old Testament for guidance. God gave Israel a set of laws that weren’t capitalist or socialist, but deeply concerned with justice, mercy, and the well-being of the whole community. These laws still speak to us today.
The Year of Jubilee – Leviticus 25
Every fiftieth year, God commanded a Jubilee:
“You shall hallow the fiftieth year and proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants; it shall be a jubilee for you” (Leviticus 25:10, NABRE).
In this year:
- Land was returned to its original owners (Leviticus 25:13).
- Debts were forgiven.
- Slaves were freed (Leviticus 25:39–41).
This law reminded Israel that:
“The land shall not be sold in perpetuity, for the land is mine; with me you are but aliens and tenants” (Leviticus 25:23, NABRE).
The Sabbatical Year – Deuteronomy 15
Every seventh year, debts were to be cancelled:
“Every creditor shall release what he has lent to his neighbour” (Deuteronomy 15:2, NABRE).
God warned against stinginess:
“Do not be mean-spirited and refuse someone a loan because the year for cancelling debts is close at hand” (Deuteronomy 15:9, NABRE).
Instead:
“You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor in the land” (Deuteronomy 15:11, NABRE).
Gleaning Laws – Leviticus 19 & Deuteronomy 24
Farmers were told not to harvest everything:
“You shall not reap your field to its very border... you shall leave them for the poor and for the alien” (Leviticus 19:9–10, NABRE).
“When you reap your harvest... you shall not go back to get it; it shall be for the alien, the orphan, and the widow” (Deuteronomy 24:19, NABRE).
This ensured the vulnerable had access to food with dignity.
What the Church Teaches
The
Catechism of the Catholic Church says:
“The Old Law is the first stage of revealed Law. Its moral prescriptions are summed up in the Ten Commandments... It provides a teaching which endures forever” (CCC 1962–1964).
The Church recognises that while the ceremonial laws are fulfilled in Christ, the moral and social principles remain valid.
In
Economic Justice for All, the U.S. bishops wrote:
“The economy exists for the person, not the person for the economy... Economic decisions must be judged by how they protect or undermine the dignity of the human person” (Economic Justice for All, 1986).
These laws and teachings challenge me to think about wealth not as a private entitlement, but as something entrusted to us for the good of all. They call for justice, mercy, and a deep concern for the poor. What do they say to you about yourself, your community, state, nation?