September 1 – St. John Chrysostom
Commerce in itself is not bad; indeed it is and intrinsic part of God’s order. What matters is how we conduct our commerce…each person specializes in the work for which God has ordained him; and by selling his skills or the goods he produces, he can obtain from others the goods which he needs. The problems arise because some people can obtain a far higher price for their work than others, or because some people employ others and do not pay a fair wage. The result is that some become rich and others poor. But in God’s eyes one skill is not superior to another; every form of honest labor is equal. So inequalities in what people receive for their labor undermine the divine order.