Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 135
Lectionary: 135
Hear this, you who
trample upon the needy
and destroy the poor of the land!
“When will the new moon be over,” you ask,
“that we may sell our grain,
and the sabbath, that we may display the wheat?
We will diminish the ephah,
add to the shekel,
and fix our scales for cheating!
We will buy the lowly for silver,
and the poor for a pair of sandals;
even the refuse of the wheat we will sell!”
The LORD has sworn by the pride of Jacob:
Never will I forget a thing they have done!
and destroy the poor of the land!
“When will the new moon be over,” you ask,
“that we may sell our grain,
and the sabbath, that we may display the wheat?
We will diminish the ephah,
add to the shekel,
and fix our scales for cheating!
We will buy the lowly for silver,
and the poor for a pair of sandals;
even the refuse of the wheat we will sell!”
The LORD has sworn by the pride of Jacob:
Never will I forget a thing they have done!
Responsorial PsalmPS 113:1-2, 4-6, 7-8
R. (cf. 1a, 7b) Praise the Lord who lifts up the poor.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Praise, you servants of the LORD,
praise the name of the LORD.
Blessed be the name of the LORD
both now and forever.
R. Praise the Lord who lifts up the poor.
or:
R. Alleluia.
High above all nations is the LORD;
above the heavens is his glory.
Who is like the LORD, our God, who is enthroned on high
and looks upon the heavens and the earth below?
R. Praise the Lord who lifts up the poor.
or:
R. Alleluia.
He raises up the lowly from the dust;
from the dunghill he lifts up the poor
to seat them with princes,
with the princes of his own people.
R. Praise the Lord who lifts up the poor.
or:
R. Alleluia.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Praise, you servants of the LORD,
praise the name of the LORD.
Blessed be the name of the LORD
both now and forever.
R. Praise the Lord who lifts up the poor.
or:
R. Alleluia.
High above all nations is the LORD;
above the heavens is his glory.
Who is like the LORD, our God, who is enthroned on high
and looks upon the heavens and the earth below?
R. Praise the Lord who lifts up the poor.
or:
R. Alleluia.
He raises up the lowly from the dust;
from the dunghill he lifts up the poor
to seat them with princes,
with the princes of his own people.
R. Praise the Lord who lifts up the poor.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Reading 21 TM 2:1-8
Beloved:
First of all, I ask that supplications, prayers,
petitions, and thanksgivings be offered for everyone,
for kings and for all in authority,
that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life
in all devotion and dignity.
This is good and pleasing to God our savior,
who wills everyone to be saved
and to come to knowledge of the truth.
For there is one God.
There is also one mediator between God and men,
the man Christ Jesus,
who gave himself as ransom for all.
This was the testimony at the proper time.
For this I was appointed preacher and apostle
— I am speaking the truth, I am not lying —,
teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.
It is my wish, then, that in every place the men should pray,
lifting up holy hands, without anger or argument.
First of all, I ask that supplications, prayers,
petitions, and thanksgivings be offered for everyone,
for kings and for all in authority,
that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life
in all devotion and dignity.
This is good and pleasing to God our savior,
who wills everyone to be saved
and to come to knowledge of the truth.
For there is one God.
There is also one mediator between God and men,
the man Christ Jesus,
who gave himself as ransom for all.
This was the testimony at the proper time.
For this I was appointed preacher and apostle
— I am speaking the truth, I am not lying —,
teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.
It is my wish, then, that in every place the men should pray,
lifting up holy hands, without anger or argument.
GospelLK 16:1-13
Jesus said to his disciples,
“A rich man had a steward
who was reported to him for squandering his property.
He summoned him and said,
‘What is this I hear about you?
Prepare a full account of your stewardship,
because you can no longer be my steward.’
The steward said to himself, ‘What shall I do,
now that my master is taking the position of steward away from me?
I am not strong enough to dig and I am ashamed to beg.
I know what I shall do so that,
when I am removed from the stewardship,
they may welcome me into their homes.’
He called in his master’s debtors one by one.
To the first he said,
‘How much do you owe my master?’
He replied, ‘One hundred measures of olive oil.’
He said to him, ‘Here is your promissory note.
Sit down and quickly write one for fifty.’
Then to another the steward said, ‘And you, how much do you owe?’
He replied, ‘One hundred kors of wheat.’
The steward said to him, ‘Here is your promissory note;
write one for eighty.’
And the master commended that dishonest steward for acting prudently.
“For the children of this world
are more prudent in dealing with their own generation
than are the children of light.
I tell you, make friends for yourselves with dishonest wealth,
so that when it fails, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.
The person who is trustworthy in very small matters
is also trustworthy in great ones;
and the person who is dishonest in very small matters
is also dishonest in great ones.
If, therefore, you are not trustworthy with dishonest wealth,
who will trust you with true wealth?
If you are not trustworthy with what belongs to another,
who will give you what is yours?
No servant can serve two masters.
He will either hate one and love the other,
or be devoted to one and despise the other.
You cannot serve both God and mammon.”
“A rich man had a steward
who was reported to him for squandering his property.
He summoned him and said,
‘What is this I hear about you?
Prepare a full account of your stewardship,
because you can no longer be my steward.’
The steward said to himself, ‘What shall I do,
now that my master is taking the position of steward away from me?
I am not strong enough to dig and I am ashamed to beg.
I know what I shall do so that,
when I am removed from the stewardship,
they may welcome me into their homes.’
He called in his master’s debtors one by one.
To the first he said,
‘How much do you owe my master?’
He replied, ‘One hundred measures of olive oil.’
He said to him, ‘Here is your promissory note.
Sit down and quickly write one for fifty.’
Then to another the steward said, ‘And you, how much do you owe?’
He replied, ‘One hundred kors of wheat.’
The steward said to him, ‘Here is your promissory note;
write one for eighty.’
And the master commended that dishonest steward for acting prudently.
“For the children of this world
are more prudent in dealing with their own generation
than are the children of light.
I tell you, make friends for yourselves with dishonest wealth,
so that when it fails, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.
The person who is trustworthy in very small matters
is also trustworthy in great ones;
and the person who is dishonest in very small matters
is also dishonest in great ones.
If, therefore, you are not trustworthy with dishonest wealth,
who will trust you with true wealth?
If you are not trustworthy with what belongs to another,
who will give you what is yours?
No servant can serve two masters.
He will either hate one and love the other,
or be devoted to one and despise the other.
You cannot serve both God and mammon.”
Jesus said to his
disciples:
“The person who is trustworthy in very small matters
is also trustworthy in great ones;
and the person who is dishonest in very small matters
is also dishonest in great ones.
If, therefore, you are not trustworthy with dishonest wealth,
who will trust you with true wealth?
If you are not trustworthy with what belongs to another,
who will give you what is yours?
No servant can serve two masters.
He will either hate one and love the other,
or be devoted to one and despise the other.
You cannot serve both God and mammon.”
“The person who is trustworthy in very small matters
is also trustworthy in great ones;
and the person who is dishonest in very small matters
is also dishonest in great ones.
If, therefore, you are not trustworthy with dishonest wealth,
who will trust you with true wealth?
If you are not trustworthy with what belongs to another,
who will give you what is yours?
No servant can serve two masters.
He will either hate one and love the other,
or be devoted to one and despise the other.
You cannot serve both God and mammon.”
Scripture Study
September 22, 2013
Twenty-Fifth Sunday of Ordinary Time
The
readings this Sunday focus on greed and commitment. The main questions that
they bring to mind are: "How important is my commitment to God and what
gets in the way of my living it out as I should. " As the first reading
points out, greed is a good example of things that get in the way. Wealth is
often where people look to find security but there are other possible obstacles
to real commitment to God. The readings invite us to identify them and allow
God to deal with that part of us that does not want to let go of it.
First Reading: Amos 8: 4-7
4 Hear this, you who trample upon the needy and destroy the poor of the land! 5 "When will the new moon be over," you ask, "that we may sell our grain, and the Sabbath, that we may display the wheat? We will diminish the ephah, add to the shekel, and fix our scales for cheating! 6 We will buy the lowly man for silver, and the poor man for a pair of sandals; even the refuse of the wheat we will sell!" 7 The LORD has sworn by the pride of Jacob: Never will I forget a thing they have done!
NOTES on First Reading:
* 8:4 Amos, the prophet of social justice, condemns those who carefully observe holy days while practicing injustice against their neighbors.
* 8:5 The New Moon was a day when no work was permitted (See Lev 23:24). The ephah was a standard of dry measure that was a little more than a modern bushel.
* 8:7 The pride of Jacob probably refers to the sinful pride of the nation of Israel detested by God (Amos 6:8), in contrast to God himself, who is the true Pride of Jacob.
Second Reading: 1 Timothy 2: 1-8
1 First of all, then, I ask that supplications, prayers, petitions, and thanksgivings be offered for everyone, 2 for kings and for all in authority, that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life in all devotion and dignity. 3 This is good and pleasing to God our savior, 4 who wills everyone to be saved and to come to knowledge of the truth.
5 For there is one God. There is also one mediator between God and the human race, Christ Jesus, himself human, 6 who gave himself as ransom for all.
This was the testimony at the proper time. 7 For this I was appointed preacher and apostle (I am speaking the truth, I am not lying), teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.
8 It is my wish, then, that in every place the men should pray, lifting up holy hands, without anger or argument.
NOTES on Second Reading:
* 2:1-7 Paul insists that the liturgical prayer of the community must include the needs of all, both Christian and non-Christian. He insists especially strongly that the community pray especially for those in authority. This has been seen by some to imply that a disposition existed at Ephesus to refuse prayer for pagans.
* 2:5 This verse contains what may have been a primitive form of creedal statement. Some interpreters have called it a Christian version of the Jewish shema: "Hear, O Israel, the LORD is our God, the LORD alone . . ." (Deut 6:4-5).
* 2:7 Paul's apostolic mission to the Gentiles plays a vital part in carrying out of Christ's purpose of universal salvation.
* 2:8 In the early Christian Church the posture of prayer was borrowed from the current practice of the Jews who prayed with hands raised up to God. Paul asks that the liturgical prayer of the community not be marred by dissension and argument.
Gospel Reading: Luke 16: 1-13
1 Then he also said to his disciples, "A rich man had a steward who was reported to him for squandering his property. 2 He summoned him and said, 'What is this I hear about you? Prepare a full account of your stewardship, because you can no longer be my steward.' 3 The steward said to himself, 'What shall I do, now that my master is taking the position of steward away from me? I am not strong enough to dig and I am ashamed to beg. 4 I know what I shall do so that, when I am removed from the stewardship, they may welcome me into their homes.' 5 He called in his master's debtors one by one. To the first he said, 'How much do you owe my master?' 6 He replied, 'One hundred measures of olive oil.' He said to him, 'Here is your promissory note. Sit down and quickly write one for fifty.' 7 Then to another he said, 'And you, how much do you owe?' He replied, 'One hundred kors of wheat.' He said to him, 'Here is your promissory note; write one for eighty.' 8 And the master commended that dishonest steward for acting prudently.
"For the children of this world are more prudent in dealing with their own generation than are the children of light. 9 I tell you, make friends for yourselves with dishonest wealth, so that when it fails, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings. 10 The person who is trustworthy in very small matters is also trustworthy in great ones; and the person who is dishonest in very small matters is also dishonest in great ones. 11 If, therefore, you are not trustworthy with dishonest wealth, who will trust you with true wealth? 12 If you are not trustworthy with what belongs to another, who will give you what is yours? 13 No servant can serve two masters. He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon."
NOTES on Gospel Reading:
* 16:1-8a The legal system of the time allowed the steward to make agreements that were binding on his master. Although the practice of charging usurious interest was forbidden by the Old Testament it was quite common in first century Palestine. Typically, the interest was not indicated separately on the agreement. The original amount owed (principal) and the interest were added together and only the total "owed" was shown in the contract. The steward is accused of squandering his master's property (Luke 16:1) and not of any subsequent graft or theft. It was the job of such an agent to make money for his master.
* 16:1 The rich man seems to be an absentee landlord. They were no more popular in ancient Israel than they are today. The Greek word used here for charged or accused or reported is "diaballo" which means to accuse with hostile intent. He may well have been innocent of the accusation. In terms of the story it doesn't matter.
* 16:2 The master believes the accusations and prepares to dismiss the steward.
* 16:3 The steward's soliloquy acts to engage the hearer into identifying with him and to show that he will not waste time feeling sorry for himself or protesting the master's action. Rather he will take decisive and immediate action to secure a place for himself somewhere else.
* 16:5-8a Here the steward instructs the debtors to rewrite the contracts so that only the original amount owed is shown without the master's usurious profit. Although it is often stated by commentators that the steward was foregoing his commission, there is no evidence in the text or in what is known about the practices of the day to support this idea. In fact the text says twice that the sums are owed to the master. The manager gets even with the master and ingratiates himself with the debtors at the master's expense.
* 16:6 The amount is literally, "one hundred baths." A bath was a Hebrew unit of liquid measure which equaled about eight or nine gallons.
* 16:7 A kor was a Hebrew unit of dry measure for grain or wheat which was equal to ten or twelve bushels.
* 16:8 The term "dishonest" is used of the steward. This is not a simple repeat of the charge in verses 1-2 where dishonesty was not the charge. Rather it refers to his actions in verses 5-7. The master here is the rich man of verse 1 and not Jesus. The steward is not punished but praised. Prudent refers to practical action toward a particular end. It does not necessarily refer to virtue in the sense of justice.
* 16:8b-13 Luke has gathered together several originally unconnected sayings of Jesus and used them as conclusions of application to his story.
* 16:9 We are told by Jesus that we (the children of light) must be at least as clever and enthusiastic about the things of heaven as the children of this world are about the things of earth. The Greek words translated here and in verse 11 as "dishonest wealth" is literally, "mammon of iniquity." Mammon is the Greek transliteration of a Hebrew or Aramaic word that is usually explained as meaning "that in which one trusts."
* 16:10-12 Jesus urges constant fidelity as an absolute requirement for those in positions of responsibility.
* 16:13 Dependence on wealth is opposed to the teachings of Jesus who insists on complete dependence on the Father as an important characteristic of the Christian disciple (Luke 12:22-39). A disciple must give complete and exclusive loyalty to God or he runs the risk of being enslaved by mammon. One shows this loyalty to God by sharing mammon (wealth) with others.
First Reading: Amos 8: 4-7
4 Hear this, you who trample upon the needy and destroy the poor of the land! 5 "When will the new moon be over," you ask, "that we may sell our grain, and the Sabbath, that we may display the wheat? We will diminish the ephah, add to the shekel, and fix our scales for cheating! 6 We will buy the lowly man for silver, and the poor man for a pair of sandals; even the refuse of the wheat we will sell!" 7 The LORD has sworn by the pride of Jacob: Never will I forget a thing they have done!
NOTES on First Reading:
* 8:4 Amos, the prophet of social justice, condemns those who carefully observe holy days while practicing injustice against their neighbors.
* 8:5 The New Moon was a day when no work was permitted (See Lev 23:24). The ephah was a standard of dry measure that was a little more than a modern bushel.
* 8:7 The pride of Jacob probably refers to the sinful pride of the nation of Israel detested by God (Amos 6:8), in contrast to God himself, who is the true Pride of Jacob.
Second Reading: 1 Timothy 2: 1-8
1 First of all, then, I ask that supplications, prayers, petitions, and thanksgivings be offered for everyone, 2 for kings and for all in authority, that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life in all devotion and dignity. 3 This is good and pleasing to God our savior, 4 who wills everyone to be saved and to come to knowledge of the truth.
5 For there is one God. There is also one mediator between God and the human race, Christ Jesus, himself human, 6 who gave himself as ransom for all.
This was the testimony at the proper time. 7 For this I was appointed preacher and apostle (I am speaking the truth, I am not lying), teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.
8 It is my wish, then, that in every place the men should pray, lifting up holy hands, without anger or argument.
NOTES on Second Reading:
* 2:1-7 Paul insists that the liturgical prayer of the community must include the needs of all, both Christian and non-Christian. He insists especially strongly that the community pray especially for those in authority. This has been seen by some to imply that a disposition existed at Ephesus to refuse prayer for pagans.
* 2:5 This verse contains what may have been a primitive form of creedal statement. Some interpreters have called it a Christian version of the Jewish shema: "Hear, O Israel, the LORD is our God, the LORD alone . . ." (Deut 6:4-5).
* 2:7 Paul's apostolic mission to the Gentiles plays a vital part in carrying out of Christ's purpose of universal salvation.
* 2:8 In the early Christian Church the posture of prayer was borrowed from the current practice of the Jews who prayed with hands raised up to God. Paul asks that the liturgical prayer of the community not be marred by dissension and argument.
Gospel Reading: Luke 16: 1-13
1 Then he also said to his disciples, "A rich man had a steward who was reported to him for squandering his property. 2 He summoned him and said, 'What is this I hear about you? Prepare a full account of your stewardship, because you can no longer be my steward.' 3 The steward said to himself, 'What shall I do, now that my master is taking the position of steward away from me? I am not strong enough to dig and I am ashamed to beg. 4 I know what I shall do so that, when I am removed from the stewardship, they may welcome me into their homes.' 5 He called in his master's debtors one by one. To the first he said, 'How much do you owe my master?' 6 He replied, 'One hundred measures of olive oil.' He said to him, 'Here is your promissory note. Sit down and quickly write one for fifty.' 7 Then to another he said, 'And you, how much do you owe?' He replied, 'One hundred kors of wheat.' He said to him, 'Here is your promissory note; write one for eighty.' 8 And the master commended that dishonest steward for acting prudently.
"For the children of this world are more prudent in dealing with their own generation than are the children of light. 9 I tell you, make friends for yourselves with dishonest wealth, so that when it fails, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings. 10 The person who is trustworthy in very small matters is also trustworthy in great ones; and the person who is dishonest in very small matters is also dishonest in great ones. 11 If, therefore, you are not trustworthy with dishonest wealth, who will trust you with true wealth? 12 If you are not trustworthy with what belongs to another, who will give you what is yours? 13 No servant can serve two masters. He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon."
NOTES on Gospel Reading:
* 16:1-8a The legal system of the time allowed the steward to make agreements that were binding on his master. Although the practice of charging usurious interest was forbidden by the Old Testament it was quite common in first century Palestine. Typically, the interest was not indicated separately on the agreement. The original amount owed (principal) and the interest were added together and only the total "owed" was shown in the contract. The steward is accused of squandering his master's property (Luke 16:1) and not of any subsequent graft or theft. It was the job of such an agent to make money for his master.
* 16:1 The rich man seems to be an absentee landlord. They were no more popular in ancient Israel than they are today. The Greek word used here for charged or accused or reported is "diaballo" which means to accuse with hostile intent. He may well have been innocent of the accusation. In terms of the story it doesn't matter.
* 16:2 The master believes the accusations and prepares to dismiss the steward.
* 16:3 The steward's soliloquy acts to engage the hearer into identifying with him and to show that he will not waste time feeling sorry for himself or protesting the master's action. Rather he will take decisive and immediate action to secure a place for himself somewhere else.
* 16:5-8a Here the steward instructs the debtors to rewrite the contracts so that only the original amount owed is shown without the master's usurious profit. Although it is often stated by commentators that the steward was foregoing his commission, there is no evidence in the text or in what is known about the practices of the day to support this idea. In fact the text says twice that the sums are owed to the master. The manager gets even with the master and ingratiates himself with the debtors at the master's expense.
* 16:6 The amount is literally, "one hundred baths." A bath was a Hebrew unit of liquid measure which equaled about eight or nine gallons.
* 16:7 A kor was a Hebrew unit of dry measure for grain or wheat which was equal to ten or twelve bushels.
* 16:8 The term "dishonest" is used of the steward. This is not a simple repeat of the charge in verses 1-2 where dishonesty was not the charge. Rather it refers to his actions in verses 5-7. The master here is the rich man of verse 1 and not Jesus. The steward is not punished but praised. Prudent refers to practical action toward a particular end. It does not necessarily refer to virtue in the sense of justice.
* 16:8b-13 Luke has gathered together several originally unconnected sayings of Jesus and used them as conclusions of application to his story.
* 16:9 We are told by Jesus that we (the children of light) must be at least as clever and enthusiastic about the things of heaven as the children of this world are about the things of earth. The Greek words translated here and in verse 11 as "dishonest wealth" is literally, "mammon of iniquity." Mammon is the Greek transliteration of a Hebrew or Aramaic word that is usually explained as meaning "that in which one trusts."
* 16:10-12 Jesus urges constant fidelity as an absolute requirement for those in positions of responsibility.
* 16:13 Dependence on wealth is opposed to the teachings of Jesus who insists on complete dependence on the Father as an important characteristic of the Christian disciple (Luke 12:22-39). A disciple must give complete and exclusive loyalty to God or he runs the risk of being enslaved by mammon. One shows this loyalty to God by sharing mammon (wealth) with others.
Meditation: "Either he will be
devoted to the one and despise the other"
What
kind of future are you investing in? Jesus seemed to praise a clever manager
who used underhanded means to secure a profitable and happy future for himself.
What's the point of this perplexing parable? The steward was responsible for
managing his wealthy landowner's property. He very likely overcharged his
master's tenants for their use of the land and kept more than his fair share of
the commission. When the landowner discovers the steward's dishonest practice
he immediately removes him from his job, leaving him penniless and ashamed to
beg or do manual work. Before news of his dismissal becomes public knowledge,
the shrewd steward strikes a deal with his master's debtors. In discounting
their debts he probably was giving up his generous commission. Such a deal won
him great favor with the debtors. Since he acted as the landowner's personal
agent, such a deal made his master look very generous and forgiving towards
those who owed him money. Surely everyone would praise such a generous
landowner as the town hero! Since the master could not undo the steward's
cancellation of the debts without losing face and making his debtors resent
him, he praises the steward for outwitting him as a generous and forgiving
landowner.Jesus obviously thought that the example of a very clever manager who took thought for his future well-being would be a perfect illustration for anyone seriously interested in securing their future in God's kingdom. What lesson can we learn from this parable? The dishonest steward is commended for his shrewdness. The original meaning of "shrewdness" is "practical wisdom" or "prudence". It is the ability to deal with a given situation, to see what needs to be done and to do it. A shrewd person exercises foresight, discernment, and judgment (the ability to see through and understand a situation and what will likely happen if he doesn't take appropriate action). Three other parables where Jesus commends this kind of practical wisdom are the parables of the wise builder who built his house on a rock (Matthew 24:7), the wise steward who orders his household well (Matthew 24:45; Luke 12:42), and the wise virgins who remembered the oil for their lamps (Matthew 25:2-9).
Jesus commends his listeners to be wise and prudent not just in the exercise of their material and financial resources, but more importantly in how they use these resouces for advancing God's kingdom and the work of the gospel. What we invest our time, money, and material resources in shows what we treasure or value the most. Some invest solely for their own personal advancement, comfort, and security. Some invest for the future well-being of others, such as loved ones or individuals they want to support or help in some way. Jesus warns us to invest in and not neglect what is most important and crucial – that which lasts forever. When we invest in God's kingdom – his kingdom of righteousness, peace, and joy (Romans 14:17) – we are not only securing our relationship with God for all eternity, we are also promoting the spread of the Gospel and the advancement of God's kingdom on earth. How we invest our lives and resources today has consequences not just for tomorrow or for the rest of our earthly lives but for eternity as well. How invested are you in the kingdom of God and in the things that last for eternity?
Jesus encourages us to be like the shrewd steward who used money generously to make friends and win for himself a secure and happy future. Generous giving is connected with almsgiving – giving financial assistance to those in need (sell your possessions and give alms -Luke 12:33). Those who receive alms become your friends because you are merciful to them in their time of need, just as God is merciful to you in your need for his forgiveness and help. Ambrose, a 4th century bishop said: The bosoms of the poor, the houses of widows, the mouths of children are the barns which last forever. True wealth consists not in what we keep but in what we give away. What is the enemy of generosity? It's greed, the excessive desire for personal gain and security. True generosity does not impoverish the giver, but enriches that person a hundredfold! Generosity expands the soul; greed contracts it. God is generous and superabundant in lavishing his gifts upon us. We can never outgive God. He shares all that he has with us. Do you know the joy and freedom of a generous heart and liberal giving to others?
Jesus concludes his parable with a lesson on what controls or rules our lives (Luke 16:10-13). Who is the master (or ruler) in charge of your life? Our master is that which governs our thought-life, shapes our ideals, controls the desires of the heart and the values we choose to live by. We can be ruled by many different things – the love of money or possessions, the power of position, the glamor of wealth and prestige, the driving force of unruly passions and addictions. Ultimately the choice boils down to two: God and mammon. What is mammon? Mammon stands for material wealth or possessions or whatever tends to control our appetites and desires. There is one Master alone who has the power to set us free from the slavery of sin and addiction. That Master is the Lord Jesus Christ.
Possessions and material resources are a great responsibility. The Lord expects us to use them honestly and responsibly and to put them at his service and the service of others. We are God's servants and all that we have belongs to him. He expects us to make a good return on what he gives us. God loves generosity and he gives liberally to those who share his gifts with others. Love of money and wealth crowd out love of God and love of neighbor. Jesus makes clear that our hearts must either be possessed by God's love or our hearts will be possessed by the love of something else. Where is your treasure?
"Lord Jesus, all that I have is a gift from you. May I love you freely and generously with all that I possess. Help me to be a wise and faithful steward of the resources you put at my disposal, including the use of my time, money, and possessions."
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The Choice of
Masters
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Twenty-Fifth Sunday
in Ordinary Time
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Luke 16: 1-13
Jesus said to his disciples, "A rich
man had a steward who was reported to him for squandering his property. He
summoned him and said, ´What is this I hear about you? Prepare a full account
of your stewardship, because you can no longer be my steward.´ The steward
said to himself, ´What shall I do, now that my master is taking the position
of steward away from me? I am not strong enough to dig and I am ashamed to
beg. I know what I shall do so that, when I am removed from the stewardship,
they may welcome me into their homes.´ He called in his master´s debtors one
by one. To the first he said, ´How much do you owe my master?´ He replied,
´One hundred measures of olive oil.´ He said to him, ´Here is your promissory
note. Sit down and quickly write one for fifty.´ Then to another he said,
´And you, how much do you owe?´ He replied, ´One hundred kors of wheat.´ He
said to him, ´Here is your promissory note; write one for eighty.´ And the
master commended that dishonest steward for acting prudently. For the children
of this world are more prudent in dealing with their own generation than are
the children of light. I tell you, make friends for yourselves with dishonest
wealth, so that when it fails, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.
The person who is trustworthy in very small matters is also trustworthy in
great ones; and the person who is dishonest in very small matters is also
dishonest in great ones. If, therefore, you are not trustworthy with
dishonest wealth, who will trust you with true wealth? If you are not
trustworthy with what belongs to another, who will give you what is yours? No
servant can serve two masters. He will either hate one and love the other, or
be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and
mammon."
Introductory Prayer: Lord, you are the author of life and the giver of all that is
good. You are the Prince of Peace and my mainstay. You are my healer and the
cure itself. I need you, and I need to give you. I love you and commit myself
to you entirely, knowing you could never let me down or deceive me. Thank you
for giving me your very self.
Petition: Lord my Savior, today help me to exert my
heart’s effort for your cause.
1. Two Faces: To say one thing and to do the opposite must
be the hardest moral strife for the human heart to bear. Those who live with
two faces indeed live in a restless state. Their conscience dictates one way,
but their deeds are displayed conspicuously to the contrary. They bear a
responsibility that they are obliged to fulfill, yet they waste time in
peripheral nonsense. Thus they let down those who might reap the benefits had
they been faithful to that responsibility. This rips the ethical peace in the
two-faced individual.
2. A Worthy Solution: Having two faces creates suspicion in human
relationships. Nevertheless, our Lord finds a redeeming mechanism in place –
a worthy outcome to the deeds of this insincere steward. The steward, on
learning that his time is limited, craftily conjures up friendships with the
debtors he was doing business with from the start. His master praises the
tactic used by the fired steward. The master even studies the prudence and
creativity of this current, untrustworthy enemy so as to teach the incoming
stewards how to deal trustworthily with customers and vendors. Such
dedication in crunch times could be very useful and quite glorious –
especially when it is performed by reliable stewards. What good could be
truly achieved!
3. One-Sidedness: On one hand, there seems to appear a great
blessedness when the steward implements skills like kindness and prudence,
deals intelligently, and does more in less time. Yet, on the other hand, he
still undermines the wishes and desires of the master. How do I see this in
my life? In my relationship with Christ and his Church, do I recognize the
great blessedness in possessing a love for God and in putting my skills,
talents and gifts to use solely for God’s glory and the establishment of his
Kingdom? Does everything I do, ranging from conducting a family activity to
receiving a phone call in the office or going to a party, have this unifying
drive for God’s glory and the establishment of his Kingdom?
Conversation with Christ: Thank you, Divine Master, for sharing with
me briefly an important lesson in becoming a true follower of yours and
becoming truly happy in the depths of my heart. Help me to raise my heart
high, as I endeavor to praise you by my thoughts, words and deeds.
Resolution: Today, as I deal with someone, I will truly
look for their benefit by helping them and being kind to them.
|
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22
LUKE
16:1-13
TWENTY-FIFTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
(Amos 8:4-7; Psalm 113; 1 Timothy 2:1-8)
TWENTY-FIFTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
(Amos 8:4-7; Psalm 113; 1 Timothy 2:1-8)
KEY VERSE: "You cannot serve God and mammon" (v 13).
READING: One of the important themes in Luke's Gospel is the right use of material goods. In the parable of the dishonest steward, Jesus contrasted the shrewdness of worldly people in planning for the future with the apparent indifference of the children of the kingdom. In the story, a steward mismanaged his master's funds. Faced with loss of employment, and knowing that he was unused to physical labor and too proud to beg, he devised a scheme. He forfeited his own commission, thereby reducing the amount owed by the debtors, thusingratiating himself to both debtor and master. Jesus praised the enterprising steward for acting prudently, but he challenged his own disciples to consider whether they were as wise in the use of their goods as those who acted without the light of the Holy Spirit to guide them. Jesus warned his disciples that they could not serve both the god of materialism ("mammon") and the God of the universe. One cannot be a servant of God and a slave to material goods at the same time.
REFLECTING: Is money my servant or am I slave to money?
PRAYING: Lord Jesus, help me to use my resources for building your kingdom on earth
THE FIRST DAY OF AUTUMN - Northern Hemisphere
Autumn (also known as Fall in North American English) is one of the four temperate seasons. Autumn is the period between summer and winter, usually in September (northern hemisphere) or March (southern hemisphere) when the arrival of night becomes noticeably earlier. In the northern hemisphere, the start of autumn is on 1 September and it ends on 30 November. In the southern hemisphere it starts on 1 March and ends on 31 May. In the temperate zones, autumn is the season during which most crops are harvested, and deciduous trees lose their leaves. It is also the season in which the days rapidly get shorter and cooler (especially in the northern latitudes), and of gradually increasing precipitation in some parts of the world.
Praise the Lord who lifts up the poor.
Can I be trusted with money, ‘that tainted thing’?To be a trustee is to make good use of the funds entrusted to us. We will be classified as good and profitable trustees when finally our master asks an account of our stewardship. Matthew, the tax man, handled great sums of money on his path to sainthood: Judas let greed entrap him.
Selfishness and generosity tug against one another in each of us until we accept that policy of Jesus—’Give, and it shall be given unto you. In as much as you failed to do it for the least of my little ones, you failed me.’ That crafty steward in the parable used cheating to gain personal popularity. Does my vanity hunger for popularity too?
Jesus, give me a generous heart to give my time, money, listening, patience, knowledge—always being a cheerful giver.
St. Thomas of
Villanueva
Feastday:
September 22
1488
- 1555
Augustinian
bishop. Born at Fuentellana, Castile, Spain, he was the son of a miller. He
studied at the University of Alcala, earned a licentiate in theology, and
became a professor there at the age of twenty-six. He declined the chair of
philosophy at the university of Salamanca and instead entered the Order of St
Augustine at Salamanca in 1516. Ordained in 1520, he served as prior of several
houses in Salamanca, Burgos, and Valladolid, as provincial ofAndal usia and
Castile, and then court chaplain to Holy Roman Emperor Charles V (r.
1519-1556). During his time as provincial of Castile, he dispatched the first
Augustinian missionaries to the New World. They subsequently helped evangelize
the area of modern Mexico. He was offered but declined the see of Granada, but
accepted appointment as archbishop of Valencia in 1544. As the see had been
vacant for nearly a century, Thomas devoted much effort to restoring the
spiritual and material life of the archdiocese. He was also deeply committed to
the needs of the poor. He held the post of grand almoner of the poor, founded
colleges for the children of new converts and the poor, organized priests for
service among the Moors, and was renowned for his personal saintliness and
austerities. While he did not attend the sessions of the Council of Trent, he
was an ardent promoter of the Tridentine reforms throughout Spain.
LECTIO: 25TH
SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME (C)
Lectio:
Sunday, September 22, 2013
The parable of the unfaithful steward
Fidelity to God as the only Lord
Luke 16, 1-13
Fidelity to God as the only Lord
Luke 16, 1-13
1. Opening prayer
Lord, my Father, today I bring before you my
weakness, my shame, my distance from you; I no longer hide my dishonesty and
infidelity, because you know and see everything, in depth, with the eyes of
your love and of your compassion. I ask you, good Doctor, pour on my wound the
balm of your Word, of your voice which speaks to me, calls me and teaches me.
Do not take away your gift, Who is the Holy Spirit: allow him to breathe on me,
as a breath of life, from the four winds; that He envelops me as a tongue of
fire and inundates me as water of salvation; send Him to me from your holy
Heaven, as the dove of truth, to announce, today also, that you are and that you
wait for me, that you take me with you, after all, as on the first day, when
you shaped me and created and called me.
2.
Reading
a) To
insert the passage in its context:
This
evangelical pericope belongs to the great section of the narration of Luke which
includes the long journey of Jesus towards Jerusalem; it opens in Lk 9, 51 to
end in Lk 19, 27. This section, in turn, is subdivided into three parts, as
three stages in the journey of Jesus, each one of which is introduced by an
annotation almost like a repetition: “Jesus resolutely turned his face towards
Jerusalem” (9,51); “Through towns and villages he went teaching, making his way
to Jerusalem” (13, 22); “…on the way to Jerusalem he was travelling in the
borderlands of Samaria and Galilee” (17, 11); to reach the conclusion in 19,
28: “When he had said this he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem”, when Jesus
enters the City.
We find
ourselves in the second part, from Lk 13, 22 to 17, 10 which includes diverse
teachings, which Jesus offers to his interlocutors: the crowds, the Pharisees,
the Scribes, the disciples. In this unity, Jesus enters into dialogue with his
disciples and offers them a parable, to indicate which is the correct use of
the goods of this world and how our own life should be concretely administered,
inserted in a filial relation with God. Then follow three “sayings” or
secondary applications of the same parable in diverse situations, which help
the disciples to make space for the new life in the Spirit, which the Father
offers them.
b) To
help in the reading of the passage:
vv.
1-8: Jesus tells the parable of the wise and shrewd steward: a
man, accused of his excessive greed, which has become unbearable, who finds
himself in a decisive and difficult moment in his life, but who succeeds to use
all his human resources to turn to good his clamorous failure. Just like this
son of the world has known how to discern his own interests, so also the
children of light have to learn to discern the will of love and the gift of
their Father, to live like Him.
v. 9: Jesus makes us understand that also dishonest and unjust richness, which is that of this world, if used for the good, as a gift, leads to salvation.
vv. 10-12: Jesus explains that the goods of this world are not to be demonized, but rather are to be understood for the value which they have. They are said to be “minimum”, they are “the little” of our life, but we are called to administer them faithfully and attentively, because they are a means to enter into communion with the brothers and sisters and therefore, with the Father.
v. 13: Jesus offers a fundamental teaching: there is only one and unique end in our life and this is God, the Lord. To seek to serve any other reality means to become slaves, to bind ourselves to deceit and to die even now.
v. 9: Jesus makes us understand that also dishonest and unjust richness, which is that of this world, if used for the good, as a gift, leads to salvation.
vv. 10-12: Jesus explains that the goods of this world are not to be demonized, but rather are to be understood for the value which they have. They are said to be “minimum”, they are “the little” of our life, but we are called to administer them faithfully and attentively, because they are a means to enter into communion with the brothers and sisters and therefore, with the Father.
v. 13: Jesus offers a fundamental teaching: there is only one and unique end in our life and this is God, the Lord. To seek to serve any other reality means to become slaves, to bind ourselves to deceit and to die even now.
c) The
text:
1 He
also said to his disciples, 'There was a rich man and he had a steward who was
denounced to him for being wasteful with his property. 2 He called for the man
and said, "What is this I hear about you? Draw me up an account of your
stewardship because you are not to be my steward any longer." 3 Then the
steward said to himself, "Now that my master is taking the stewardship
from me, what am I to do? Dig? I am not strong enough. Go begging? I should be
too ashamed. 4 Ah, I know what I will do to make sure that when I am dismissed
from office there will be some to welcome me into their homes." 5 'Then he
called his master's debtors one by one. To the first he said, "How much do
you owe my master?" 6 "One hundred measures of oil," he said.
The steward said, "Here, take your bond; sit down and quickly write
fifty." 7 To another he said, "And you, sir, how much do you
owe?" "One hundred measures of wheat," he said. The steward
said, "Here, take your bond and write eighty." 8 'The master praised
the dishonest steward for his astuteness. For the children of this world are
more astute in dealing with their own kind than are the children of light.'
9 'And so I tell you this: use money, tainted as it is, to win you friends, and thus make sure that when it fails you, they will welcome you into eternal dwellings.
10 Anyone who is trustworthy in little things is trustworthy in great; anyone who is dishonest in little things is dishonest in great. 11 If then you are not trustworthy with money, that tainted thing, who will trust you with genuine riches? 12 And if you are not trustworthy with what is not yours, who will give you what is your very own?
13 'No servant can be the slave of two masters: he will either hate the first and love the second, or be attached to the first and despise the second. You cannot be the slave both of God and of money.'
9 'And so I tell you this: use money, tainted as it is, to win you friends, and thus make sure that when it fails you, they will welcome you into eternal dwellings.
10 Anyone who is trustworthy in little things is trustworthy in great; anyone who is dishonest in little things is dishonest in great. 11 If then you are not trustworthy with money, that tainted thing, who will trust you with genuine riches? 12 And if you are not trustworthy with what is not yours, who will give you what is your very own?
13 'No servant can be the slave of two masters: he will either hate the first and love the second, or be attached to the first and despise the second. You cannot be the slave both of God and of money.'
3. A
moment of prayerful silence
I
accept the silence of this moment, of this sacred time of encounter with Him. I
who am poor, without money, without possessions, without house and without my
own strength, because nothing comes from me, but everything comes from Him, it
is His, I allow myself to be taken in by His richness of compassion and of
mercy.
4. Some
Questions
a) Like
any Christian I am also an “administrator” of the Lord, the rich Man of our
existence, the Only One Who possesses goods and riches. What is it that
regulates my thoughts daily and, consequently, my daily choices, my actions, my
relations?
b) Life, goods, the gifts which my Father has given me, these infinite riches, which are worth more than any other thing in the world, am I wasting them, am I throwing them away like pearls to the pigs?
c) The unfaithful steward, but wise and shrewd, suddenly changes his life, changes relations, calculations, thoughts. Today is a new day, it is the beginning of a new life, regulated according to the logics of remission, of pardon, of distribution: do I know that true wisdom is hidden in mercy?
d) “Either you will love one or will love the other…”. Whose servant do I want to be? In whose house do I want to live? Together with whom do I want to live my .life?...
b) Life, goods, the gifts which my Father has given me, these infinite riches, which are worth more than any other thing in the world, am I wasting them, am I throwing them away like pearls to the pigs?
c) The unfaithful steward, but wise and shrewd, suddenly changes his life, changes relations, calculations, thoughts. Today is a new day, it is the beginning of a new life, regulated according to the logics of remission, of pardon, of distribution: do I know that true wisdom is hidden in mercy?
d) “Either you will love one or will love the other…”. Whose servant do I want to be? In whose house do I want to live? Together with whom do I want to live my .life?...
5. A
key for reading
* “Who
is the steward of the Lord?
Luke in
the parable uses the term “administrator
or steward” or “administration” seven times, and thus it
becomes the key word of the passage and of the message that the Lord wants to
give me. Then, I try to look in Scripture for some traces, or a light which
will help me to understand better and to verify my life, the administration that
the Lord has entrusted to me.
In the
Old Testament several times this reality is repeated, especially referring to
the royal richness or to the richness of the city or of the empires: in the
Books of the Chronicles, for example, it is spoken about the administrators of
King David (1 Ch 27,31; 28, 1) and also in the Book of Esther (3,9), Daniel (2,
49; 6, 4) and Tobias (1, 22) the meeting of administrators of the kings and the
princes. It is totally worldly administration, linked to possessions, to money,
to wealth, to power; therefore, bound to a negative reality, such as the
accumulation, usurpation, violence. It is, in one word, an administration which
ends, which is short-lived and deceitful, no matter if it is recognized that
this is also, in a certain way, necessary for the good functioning of society.
The New
Testament, on the other hand, immediately introduces me into a diverse
dimension, higher, because it concerns the things of the spirit, of the soul,
those things which do not end, do not change with the change of time and of
persons. Saint Paul says: “Each one should consider himself as Christ’s
servant, steward entrusted with the mysteries of God. In such a matter, what is
expected of stewards is that each one should be found trustworthy” (1Cor 4, 1
ff). and Peter: “Each one of you has received a special grace, so, like good
stewards responsible for all these varied graces of God, put it at the service
of others” (1 P 4, 10). Therefore, I understand that I am also an administrator
of the mysteries and of the grace of God, through the simple and poor
instrument, which is my own life; in it I am called to be faithful and good. But this adjective
“good”, is the same which John uses referring to the Shepherd, to Jesus:
“kalòs” that is, beautiful and good. And, why? Simply, because
Heoffers His life to the
Father for the sheep. This is the unique, true administration
which is entrusted to me in this world, for the future world.
* What
is the shrewdness of the administrator of the Lord?
The
passage says that the master praises his dishonest steward, because he acted
with “astuteness” and he repeats the word “shrewd”, a bit later. Perhaps a more
correct translation could be “sage”, that is “wise”, or “prudent”. It is a
wisdom that results from an attentive, deep thinking, from reflection, from
study and the application of the mind, of affection to something which is of
great interest. As an adjective this term is found, for example in Mt 7, 24,
where true wisdom is shown of the man who builds his house on the rock and not
on the sand, that is the man who founds his existence on the Word of the Lord
or also in Mt 25, where he says that the virgins who, together with their
lamps, had the oil were wise, so that they will not be taken over by darkness,
but who know how to wait always with invincible, incorruptible love, for their
Spouse and Lord, when he returns. Therefore, this steward is wise and prudent,
not because he takes advantage of others, but because he has known how to
regulate and transform his life according to the measure and the form of the
life of his Lord: he has committed himself totally, with his whole being, mind,
heart, will, desire in imitating the one he serves.
*
Dishonesty and injustice
Another
word which is repeated many times is “dishonest”, “dishonesty”; the steward is
said to be dishonest and thus also richness. Dishonesty is a characteristic
which can corrode the being, in big things, in the great, but also in the
minimum, in the small. The Greek text does not precisely use the word “dishonest”,
but the “administrator or steward of injustice”, “richness of injustice”, and
“unjust in the minimum”, “unjust in much”. Injustice is a bad distribution, not
impartial or just, not balanced; it lacks harmony, it lacks a centre which will
attract all energy, all care and intent to itself; it causes fractures, wounds,
pain over pain, accumulation on one side and lack of all on the other. All of
us, in some way, come into contact, with the reality of injustice, because it
belongs to this world. And we feel dragged on one and other side, we lose
harmony, balance and beauty; and we cannot deny it because it is like that. The
Gospel precisely condemns this strong lack of harmony, which is accumulation,
to keep things aside, to increase them always more, possession and it shows us
the way to obtain healing, which is a gift or giving, sharing, to give with an
open heart, with mercy, like the Father does with us, without getting tired,
without becoming less or poor.
* And,
what is mammon?
The
word mammon appears in the whole Bible, in this chapter of Luke in (vv. 9, 11,
and 13) and in Mt 6, 24. It is a Semitic term which corresponds to “riches”,
“possession”, “gain”, but it becomes almost the personification of the
god-money which men serve very foolishly, slaves of that “unquenchable greed,
which is idolatry” (Col. 3, 5). Here everything becomes clear, it is full
light. Now, I know well which is the question which I still have, after the
encounter with this Word of the Lord: “I, whom do I want to serve?”. The choice
is only one, unique, concrete. I keep in my heart this stupendous, marvellous
and sweet verb, the verb “to serve” and I ponder it, and I draw from it all the
substance of truth which it contains. The words of Joshua to the people come to
my mind: “If serving Yahweh seems a bad thing to you, today you must make up
your minds whom you do mean to serve!” (Jos 24, 15). I know that I am unjust,
that I am an unfaithful administrator, foolish, I know that I have nothing, but
today I choose, with everything that I am , to serve the Lord. (cf. Ac 20, 19;
I Th 1, 9; Ga 1, 10; Rm12, 11).
6. A
Moment of Prayer: Psalm 49
Reflection
of Wisdom on the heart
which finds its riches in the presence of God
which finds its riches in the presence of God
Rit.
Blessed are you who are poor:
the kingdom of God is yours.
the kingdom of God is yours.
Hear
this, all nations, listen, all who dwell on earth,
people high and low, rich and poor alike!
My lips have wisdom to utter,
my heart good sense to whisper.
I listen carefully to a proverb,
I set my riddle to the music of the harp. Rit.
people high and low, rich and poor alike!
My lips have wisdom to utter,
my heart good sense to whisper.
I listen carefully to a proverb,
I set my riddle to the music of the harp. Rit.
Why
should I be afraid in times of trouble?
Malice dogs me and hems me in.
They trust in their wealth,
and boast of the profusion of their riches.
But no one can ever redeem himself
or pay his own ransom to God,
the price for himself is too high; it can never be
that he will live on for ever
and avoid the sight of the abyss. Rit.
Malice dogs me and hems me in.
They trust in their wealth,
and boast of the profusion of their riches.
But no one can ever redeem himself
or pay his own ransom to God,
the price for himself is too high; it can never be
that he will live on for ever
and avoid the sight of the abyss. Rit.
For he
will see the wise also die
no less than the fool and the brute,
and leave their wealth behind for others.
In prosperity people lose their good sense,
they become no better than dumb animals.
But my soul God will ransom from the clutches of Sheol,
and will snatch me up. Rit.
no less than the fool and the brute,
and leave their wealth behind for others.
In prosperity people lose their good sense,
they become no better than dumb animals.
But my soul God will ransom from the clutches of Sheol,
and will snatch me up. Rit.
Do not
be overawed when someone gets rich,
and lives in ever greater splendour;
when he dies he will take nothing with him,
his wealth will not go down with him.
Though he pampered himself while he lived
- and people praise you for looking after yourself -
he will go to join the ranks of his ancestors,
who will never again see the light. Rit.
and lives in ever greater splendour;
when he dies he will take nothing with him,
his wealth will not go down with him.
Though he pampered himself while he lived
- and people praise you for looking after yourself -
he will go to join the ranks of his ancestors,
who will never again see the light. Rit.
“God
wants a gratuitous love, that is a pure love…God fills the hearts, not the
strongbox or coffer. What are riches good for if your heart is empty?” (St.
Agustin).
7.
Closing Prayer
Lord,
thank you for this time spent with you, listening to your voice which spoke to
me with love and infinite mercy; I feel that my life is healed only when I
remain with you, in you, when I allow you to take me. You have taken in your
hands my greed, which renders me dry and arid, which closes me up, and makes me
sad and leaves me alone; you have taken my insatiable avarice, which fills me
with emptiness and pain; you have accepted and taken upon yourself my ambiguity
and infidelity, my tired and awkward limping. Lord, I am happy when I open
myself to you and show you all my wounds! Thank you for the balm of your Word
and of your silence. Thank you for the breath of your Spirit, which takes away
the bad breath of evil, of the enemy.
Lord, I have robed, I know it, I have taken away what was not mine, I have buried it, I have wasted it; from now on I want to begin to return, to give back, I want to live my life as a gift always multiplied and shared among many. My life is a small thing, but in your hands it will become barrels of oil, measures of grain, consolation and food for my brothers and sisters.
Lord, I have no other words to say before such great and overflowing love, that is why I do only one thing: I open the doors of the heart and with a smile, I will accept all those whom you will send to me… (Ac28, 30)
Lord, I have robed, I know it, I have taken away what was not mine, I have buried it, I have wasted it; from now on I want to begin to return, to give back, I want to live my life as a gift always multiplied and shared among many. My life is a small thing, but in your hands it will become barrels of oil, measures of grain, consolation and food for my brothers and sisters.
Lord, I have no other words to say before such great and overflowing love, that is why I do only one thing: I open the doors of the heart and with a smile, I will accept all those whom you will send to me… (Ac28, 30)
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