The El Escorial is the historical residence of the King of Spain. It was commissioned to be built by King Philip II of Spain, and the architect was Juan Bautista de Toledo. Together they oversaw its construction as a monument to Spain’s role as the center of the Christian World

It was almost entirely paid for by Spanish conquest. While many of the colonizers' search for gold came up empty, Spain’s did not. It is estimated that during the Spanish colonization of the Americas over 180 tons of gold and 16,000 tons of silver was stolen. While there is no way to get an actual number, it is estimated that between 10-25 million indigenous people lived in the land we now call Mexico at the beginning of the Spanish conquest. By it’s close only 2 million people remained.

Last year 1.57 billion of them were sold last year. They are one of the key methods by a substantial portion of the world to engage one another and essentially the most socially acceptable addiction. The production of these devices, regardless of maker, lends itself to some horrifying circumstances. Every smartphone has a measure of the mineral coltan in it. Coltan is mined in places like the Congo and the jungles of Brazil and has funded the genocidal warlords of the Congo to the tune of at least $25 million dollars. In many places, it is essentially slave labor that mines this mineral. It has been compared to the blood diamond trade. In the assembly of these devices, the injustice of child labor. In a CNN article, none of the major manufacturers of cell phones could say with certainty that child labor had not been used in the production process.

While rightful fire and fury towards the colonizer rise up within us when we hear of their economic pillaging, that same anger ought to illuminate the same sin within our own hearts.

Our self-interest and convenience outweigh our desire for justice and equity.

But as we will see in this text, the Bishop has a great many things to say about the oppression that can come from the economically advantaged. That the accumulation and consumption of wealth carry with it a great responsibility and judgment from the Lord.

God judges sinful self-indulgence and its accompanying injustice.

James | Money Can't Save You | James 5:1-6