Friday of the Thirty-first Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 489
Lectionary: 489
I myself am
convinced about you, my brothers and sisters,
that you yourselves are full of goodness,
filled with all knowledge, and able to admonish one another.
But I have written to you rather boldly in some respects to remind you,
because of the grace given me by God
to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles
in performing the priestly service of the Gospel of God,
so that the offering up of the Gentiles may be acceptable,
sanctified by the Holy Spirit.
In Christ Jesus, then, I have reason to boast in what pertains to God.
For I will not dare to speak of anything
except what Christ has accomplished through me
to lead the Gentiles to obedience by word and deed,
by the power of signs and wonders,
by the power of the Spirit of God,
so that from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum
I have finished preaching the Gospel of Christ.
Thus I aspire to proclaim the Gospel
not where Christ has already been named,
so that I do not build on another’s foundation,
but as it is written:
Those who have never been told of him shall see,
and those who have never heard of him shall understand.
that you yourselves are full of goodness,
filled with all knowledge, and able to admonish one another.
But I have written to you rather boldly in some respects to remind you,
because of the grace given me by God
to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles
in performing the priestly service of the Gospel of God,
so that the offering up of the Gentiles may be acceptable,
sanctified by the Holy Spirit.
In Christ Jesus, then, I have reason to boast in what pertains to God.
For I will not dare to speak of anything
except what Christ has accomplished through me
to lead the Gentiles to obedience by word and deed,
by the power of signs and wonders,
by the power of the Spirit of God,
so that from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum
I have finished preaching the Gospel of Christ.
Thus I aspire to proclaim the Gospel
not where Christ has already been named,
so that I do not build on another’s foundation,
but as it is written:
Those who have never been told of him shall see,
and those who have never heard of him shall understand.
Responsorial PsalmPS 98:1, 2-3AB, 3CD-4
R. (see 2b) The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.
Sing to the LORD a new song,
for he has done wondrous deeds;
His right hand has won victory for him,
his holy arm.
R. The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.
The LORD has made his salvation known:
in the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice.
He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulness
toward the house of Israel.
R. The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.
All the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation by our God.
Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands;
break into song; sing praise.
R. The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.
Sing to the LORD a new song,
for he has done wondrous deeds;
His right hand has won victory for him,
his holy arm.
R. The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.
The LORD has made his salvation known:
in the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice.
He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulness
toward the house of Israel.
R. The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.
All the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation by our God.
Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands;
break into song; sing praise.
R. The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.
GospelLK 16:1-8
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 measures 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 the children of light.”
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 measures 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 the children of light.”
Meditation: "Shrewd
in dealing with their own generation"
Do you
make good use of your money and possessions? Jesus seemed to praise a steward
(a manager entrusted with his master's goods) who misused his employer's money.
What did the steward do that made Jesus praise him? The steward was responsible
for managing his wealthy landowner's property. The steward very likely
overcharged his master's tenants for their use of the land and kept more than
his fair share of the profit. 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 agent, such a deal made his master look very generous and forgiving
towards those who owned 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 merciful
landowner.
Jesus
obviously thought that the example of a very clever steward would be a perfect
illustration for a spiritual lesson about God and how God treats those who
belong to his kingdom! What's the point of Jesus's parable? The dishonest
steward is commended not for mishandling his master's wealth, but for his
shrewd provision in averting personal disaster and in securing his future
livelihood. The original meaning of "shrewdness" is "foresight".
A shrewd person grasps a critical situation with resolution, foresight, and the
determination to avoid serious loss or disaster. Jesus is concerned here with
something more critical than a financial or economic crisis. His concern is
that we avert spiritual crisis and personal moral disaster through the exercise
of faith and foresight. If Christians would only expend as much foresight and
energy to spiritual matters which have eternal consequences as much as they do
to earthly matters which have temporal consequences, then they would be truly
better off, both in this life and in the age to come.
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. Possessions 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 belong to God and
all that we have is his as well. 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. The Pharisees, however, had no room for God or others in
their hearts. The gospel says they were lovers of money (Luke 16:14). 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. What do you most treasure in your
heart?
"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."
 What Is This I Hear about You? |
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Friday of the
Thirty-First Week in Ordinary Time
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Luke 16:1-8
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 measures 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."
Introductory Prayer: Jesus Christ, where else can I turn
each day but to you? One day, I will make that final turn to you, and it will
last for all eternity. Yet as in everything else, you set the pace, you take
the initiative, and you are the protagonist. You will turn and look my way
first and I, as I strive daily to do, will respond and gaze back into your
eyes. This moment of prayer is a rehearsal for that final turn to you.
Petition: Lord, help me to respond better to your
love.
1. What Is This? “What is this I hear about you?” Of course,
this is just a parable. In actuality, God doesn´t need to "hear"
anything about us since he is all-knowing. Yet, he may very well say to us,
"What is this!" as he looks over the record of our lives and
reminds us that we are accountable for all our free actions. Let us take a
look, in our prayer now, at the face of this Father who asks, "What is
this?" Does it not express concern over a wound in our soul, over
something that has marred the beauty of our image as sons and daughters of
this Father?
2. A Full Account: Yes, we will have to give that full account.
The sacrament of reconciliation, prepared by thoughtful and prayerful
examinations of conscience, affords us the opportunities to give that
account, piece-by-piece, as a preparation for the final audit. What a grace!
Are we taking advantage of it?
3. Squanderer: Could the Good Lord accuse us of being
squanderers? This isn´t the only place in the Gospels where the word appears.
Recall that the Prodigal Son was accused of squandering his father´s wealth.
Certainly to squander is to misuse, to use unwisely, to waste, or to use
extravagantly. What about all the graces that God has given to us: our faith,
our Catholic Church, the sacraments, the scriptures, the example of the
saints, the rich deposit of Catholic tradition, the means that have been
placed in our hands today, the time we have been offered, the talents we have
been given? Are we squanderers? How can I respond better to the many gifts
Our Lord has given me? How can I better “invest” my talents for the sake of
the Kingdom of Heaven?
Conversation with Christ: Lord Jesus Christ, awaken me to your gifts
and make me zealous and generous in using them for the good of the brothers
and sisters you have put at my side. Through my daily examination of
conscience, help me to be a good steward so that one day I may arrive with
you and enjoy you in paradise as my eternal reward.
Resolution: I will employ the time of my examination of
conscience today to thank God for all the graces and blessings he has
bestowed upon me. I will make a careful accounting of what God has placed in
my hands.
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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 8, LUKE 16:1-8
LUKE 16:1-8
(Romans 15:14-21; Psalm 98)
LUKE 16:1-8
(Romans 15:14-21; Psalm 98)
KEY VERSE: "For the children of this world are more prudent in dealing with their own generation than are the children of light" (v 8).
READING: In the Parable of the Dishonest Steward, Jesus contrasted the apparent indifference of the children of the kingdom of God with worldly people who shrewdly planned for their future. In the story, a steward had mismanaged his master's funds and was faced with loss of employment. The steward was unused to physical labor and he was too proud to beg. So he devised a scheme whereby he cancelled his own commission thus reducing the amount owed by the debtors. Thus he ingratiated 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 were those who acted without the light of the Holy Spirit to guide them.
REFLECTING: Am I honest in all my business dealings?
PRAYING: Lord Jesus, help me to use my resources for building your kingdom on earth.
The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.
I once heard it said that we would do for money what we would not
do for love.It struck me at the time that it is often true. If there is a dollar in it for us, we will often make the extra effort required. Christ’s way is the way of love. As his follower I want to answer his stronger call. I will do for love what is required of me without looking for payment of any sort except the knowledge of walking in the Master’s footsteps. It is a road less travelled, and I will often find myself at odds with others who walk a different way. I may be misunderstood. I will find security not in insurance policies, not in stocks or shares, but in following ever more closely my companion on the journey, Christ, who walks before me.
November 8
Blessed John Duns Scotus
(c. 1266-1308)
Blessed John Duns Scotus
(c. 1266-1308)
A humble man, John Duns Scotus has been one of the most
influential Franciscans through the centuries.
Born at
Duns in the county of Berwick, Scotland, John was descended from a wealthy
farming family. In later years he was identified as John Duns Scotus to
indicate the land of his birth; Scotia is the Latin name for
Scotland.
John
received the habit of the Friars Minor at Dumfries, where his uncle Elias Duns
was superior. After novitiate John studied at Oxford and Paris and was ordained
in 1291. More studies in Paris followed until 1297, when he returned to lecture
at Oxford and Cambridge. Four years later he returned to Paris to teach and
complete the requirements for the doctorate.
In an age
when many people adopted whole systems of thought without qualification, John
pointed out the richness of the Augustinian-Franciscan tradition, appreciated
the wisdom of Aquinas, Aristotle and the Muslim philosophers—and still managed
to be an independent thinker. That quality was proven in 1303 when King Philip
the Fair tried to enlist the University of Paris on his side in a dispute with
Pope Boniface VIII. John Duns Scotus dissented and was given three days to
leave France.
In
Scotus’s time, some philosophers held that people are basically determined by
forces outside themselves. Free will is an illusion, they argued. An ever
practical man, Scotus said that if he started beating someone who denied free
will, the person would immediately tell him to stop. But if Scotus didn’t
really have a free will, how could he stop? John had a knack for finding
illustrations his students could remember!
After a
short stay in Oxford he returned to Paris, where he received the doctorate in
1305. He continued teaching there and in 1307 so ably defended the Immaculate
Conception of Mary that the university officially adopted his position. That
same year the minister general assigned him to the Franciscan school in Cologne
where John died in 1308. He is buried in the Franciscan church near the famous
Cologne cathedral.
Drawing
on the work of John Duns Scotus, Pope Pius IX solemnly defined the Immaculate
Conception of Mary in 1854. John Duns Scotus, the "Subtle Doctor,"
was beatified in 1993.
Comment:
Father Charles Balic, O.F.M., the foremost 20th-century authority on Scotus, has written: "The whole of Scotus's theology is dominated by the notion of love. The characteristic note of this love is its absolute freedom. As love becomes more perfect and intense, freedom becomes more noble and integral both in God and in man" (New Catholic Encyclopedia, Vol. 4, p. 1105).
Father Charles Balic, O.F.M., the foremost 20th-century authority on Scotus, has written: "The whole of Scotus's theology is dominated by the notion of love. The characteristic note of this love is its absolute freedom. As love becomes more perfect and intense, freedom becomes more noble and integral both in God and in man" (New Catholic Encyclopedia, Vol. 4, p. 1105).
Quote:
Intelligence hardly guarantees holiness. But John Duns Scotus was not only brilliant, he was also humble and prayerful—the exact combination St. Francis wanted in any friar who studied. In a day when French nationalism threatened the rights of the pope, Scotus sided with the papacy and paid the price. He also defended human freedom against those who would compromise it by determinism.
Intelligence hardly guarantees holiness. But John Duns Scotus was not only brilliant, he was also humble and prayerful—the exact combination St. Francis wanted in any friar who studied. In a day when French nationalism threatened the rights of the pope, Scotus sided with the papacy and paid the price. He also defended human freedom against those who would compromise it by determinism.
Ideas are important.
John Duns Scotus placed his best thinking at the service of the human family
and of the Church.
LECTIO: LUKE
16,1-8
Lectio:
Friday, November 8, 2013
Ordinary Time
1) Opening prayer
God of power and mercy,
only with your help
can we offer you fitting service and praise.
May we live the faith we profess
and trust your promise of eternal life.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
only with your help
can we offer you fitting service and praise.
May we live the faith we profess
and trust your promise of eternal life.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
2) Gospel reading - Luke 16,1-8
Jesus 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. 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."
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. 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."
'Then he called his master's debtors one by one. To the first he said, "How much do you owe my master?" "One hundred measures of oil," he said. The steward said, "Here, take your bond; sit down and quickly write fifty." 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."
'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.'
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. 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."
'Then he called his master's debtors one by one. To the first he said, "How much do you owe my master?" "One hundred measures of oil," he said. The steward said, "Here, take your bond; sit down and quickly write fifty." 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."
'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.'
3) Reflection
• Today the Gospel presents a parable that concerns
administration of goods which is found only in Luke’s Gospel. It is called The
Parable of the dishonest steward. It is a disconcerting parable. Luke says:
“The master praised the dishonest steward for his astuteness”. The master is
Jesus himself and not the administrator or steward. How is that Jesus praises a
corrupt employee?
• Luke 16, 1-2: The steward is threatened to lose his job. “There was a rich man and he had a steward, who was denounced to him for being wasteful with his property. 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 more”. This example taken from the world of business and of work speaks for itself. It refers to the existing corruption. The master discovers the corruption and decides to send away the dishonest steward. The steward, unexpectedly, finds himself in an emergency situation, obliged by the unforeseen circumstances to find a way out in order to be able to survive. When God becomes present in the life of a person, unexpectedly everything changes and the person finds himself/herself in an emergency situation. The person has to take a decision and find a way out.
• Luke 16, 3-4: What to do? Which is the way out? “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”. He begins to reflect to find a way out. He analyses, one by one, the possible alternatives: to dig or work the land in order to survive, he feels that he does not have the strength to do this, and to beg, he would feel ashamed. He analyses things, and calculates well the possible alternatives. “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”. It is a question of trying to guarantee his future. The steward is coherent with his way of thinking and living.
• Luke 16, 5-7: Execution of the solution he found. “Then he called his master’s debtors, one by one, and said to the first one: How much do you owe my master? One hundred measures of oil, he said. The steward said, ‘Here, take your bond, sit down and quickly write fifty. Then he said to another one, and you, sir, how much do you owe? ‘One hundred measures of wheat’, he answered. The steward said, ‘Here take your bond and write eighty”. In his total lack of ethics the steward was coherent. The criteria of his action are not honesty and justice, nor the good of the master on whom he depends to live and to survive, but it is his own interest. He wants to have the guarantee that there will be someone who will receive him in his house.
• Luke 16, 8: The Master praises the dishonest steward. And look this is the disconcerting conclusion: “The Master praises 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”. The word Master or Lord indicates Jesus and not the rich man. The latter would never praise a dishonest employee working with him in the service and that now he robs even more, 50 measures of oil and 20 sacks of wheat! In the parable the one who extends the praise is Jesus. He certainly does not praise the theft, but the presence of spirit of the steward. He knew how to calculate things well and finds a way out, when unexpectedly he finds himself without a job. In this way the children of this world know how to be experts in their own things, and in the same way, the children of light should learn from them to be experts in the solution to their problems, using the criteria of the Kingdom and not the criteria of this world. “Be cunning as serpents and innocent as doves” (Mt 10, 16).
• Luke 16, 1-2: The steward is threatened to lose his job. “There was a rich man and he had a steward, who was denounced to him for being wasteful with his property. 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 more”. This example taken from the world of business and of work speaks for itself. It refers to the existing corruption. The master discovers the corruption and decides to send away the dishonest steward. The steward, unexpectedly, finds himself in an emergency situation, obliged by the unforeseen circumstances to find a way out in order to be able to survive. When God becomes present in the life of a person, unexpectedly everything changes and the person finds himself/herself in an emergency situation. The person has to take a decision and find a way out.
• Luke 16, 3-4: What to do? Which is the way out? “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”. He begins to reflect to find a way out. He analyses, one by one, the possible alternatives: to dig or work the land in order to survive, he feels that he does not have the strength to do this, and to beg, he would feel ashamed. He analyses things, and calculates well the possible alternatives. “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”. It is a question of trying to guarantee his future. The steward is coherent with his way of thinking and living.
• Luke 16, 5-7: Execution of the solution he found. “Then he called his master’s debtors, one by one, and said to the first one: How much do you owe my master? One hundred measures of oil, he said. The steward said, ‘Here, take your bond, sit down and quickly write fifty. Then he said to another one, and you, sir, how much do you owe? ‘One hundred measures of wheat’, he answered. The steward said, ‘Here take your bond and write eighty”. In his total lack of ethics the steward was coherent. The criteria of his action are not honesty and justice, nor the good of the master on whom he depends to live and to survive, but it is his own interest. He wants to have the guarantee that there will be someone who will receive him in his house.
• Luke 16, 8: The Master praises the dishonest steward. And look this is the disconcerting conclusion: “The Master praises 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”. The word Master or Lord indicates Jesus and not the rich man. The latter would never praise a dishonest employee working with him in the service and that now he robs even more, 50 measures of oil and 20 sacks of wheat! In the parable the one who extends the praise is Jesus. He certainly does not praise the theft, but the presence of spirit of the steward. He knew how to calculate things well and finds a way out, when unexpectedly he finds himself without a job. In this way the children of this world know how to be experts in their own things, and in the same way, the children of light should learn from them to be experts in the solution to their problems, using the criteria of the Kingdom and not the criteria of this world. “Be cunning as serpents and innocent as doves” (Mt 10, 16).
4) Personal questions
• Am I coherent?
• Which criteria do I use in the solution of my problems?
• Which criteria do I use in the solution of my problems?
5) Concluding prayer
One thing I ask of Yahweh, one thing I seek:
to dwell in Yahweh's house all the days of my life,
to enjoy the sweetness of Yahweh,
to seek out his temple. (Ps 27,4)
to dwell in Yahweh's house all the days of my life,
to enjoy the sweetness of Yahweh,
to seek out his temple. (Ps 27,4)
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