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.
AlleluiaCF. 2 COR 8:9
R. Alleluia,
alleluia.
Though our Lord Jesus Christ was rich, he became poor,
so that by his poverty you might become rich.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Though our Lord Jesus Christ was rich, he became poor,
so that by his poverty you might become rich.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
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."
Meditation: "Who
will entrust to you the true riches?"
What
does wealth and riches have to do with the kingdom of God? Jesus seemed to praise
a steward (a manager entrusted with his master's goods) who misused his wealthy
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 discovered
the steward's dishonest practice he immediately removed him from his job,
leaving him penniless and ashamed to beg or do manual work.
The
necessity of prudent foresight to avert disaster
Before news of his dismissal became public knowledge, the shrewd steward struck 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 the steward 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 praised the steward for outwitting him and making him appear as a generous and merciful landowner.
Before news of his dismissal became public knowledge, the shrewd steward struck 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 the steward 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 praised the steward for outwitting him and making him appear as a generous and merciful landowner.
Generous
giving is rewarded with treasure that lasts forever
What's the point of Jesus' parable? Jesus did not praise the steward for his dishonest behavior but for his shrewd foresight in relieving the debts of others who he believed would, in turn, treat him as a friend and show him mercy, kindness, and generosity in his time of need and great want. Jesus immediately followed this parable with an exhortation to his followers to make use of the world's material goods, including "tainted money" ( which in Hebrew means "unrighteous mammon"), to relieve those who are indebted to us for the material and physical help we give them in their time of need and want. In the Scriptures generous giving is connected with alms giving - the sharing of our financial and material resources with those in need (Luke 12:33). Those who receive alms become your friends because you are merciful to them in their time of need. And God who sees all, rewards those who are generous in helping others.
What's the point of Jesus' parable? Jesus did not praise the steward for his dishonest behavior but for his shrewd foresight in relieving the debts of others who he believed would, in turn, treat him as a friend and show him mercy, kindness, and generosity in his time of need and great want. Jesus immediately followed this parable with an exhortation to his followers to make use of the world's material goods, including "tainted money" ( which in Hebrew means "unrighteous mammon"), to relieve those who are indebted to us for the material and physical help we give them in their time of need and want. In the Scriptures generous giving is connected with alms giving - the sharing of our financial and material resources with those in need (Luke 12:33). Those who receive alms become your friends because you are merciful to them in their time of need. And God who sees all, rewards those who are generous in helping others.
Generous
giving will be repaid in kind. Augustine of Hippo reminds us that we are all
beggars of God.
"Even
though you possess plenty, you are still poor. You abound in temporal
possessions, but you need things eternal. You listen to the needs of a human
beggar, you yourself are a beggar of God. What you do with those who beg from
you is what God will do with his beggar. You are filled and you are empty. Fill
your neighbor from your fullness, so that your emptiness may be filled from
God's fullness" (Sermon 56, 9).
Paul
the Apostle reminds us, "We brought nothing into this world and we cannot
take anything out of this world" (1 Timothy 6:7). The Lord Jesus wants us
to make good use of all the resources that he gives us and that come into our
possession. Our life is short - but how we invest in this present life will
determine our future in the age to come when the Lord Jesus will raise our
mortal bodies to immortality and give to each what he or she has sown in this
present life.
The
rabbis had a saying, "The rich help the poor in this world, but the poor
help the rich in the world to come." Ambrose, a 4th century bishop
commenting on the parable of the rich fool who tore down his barns to build
bigger ones to store his goods. said: The bosoms of the poor, the
houses of widows, the mouths of children are the barns which last
forever. The true treasure which lasts is the treasure stored up for
us in heaven. God richly rewards those who give generously from the heart to
help those in need.
True
generosity does not impoverish - but enriches the giver
What is the enemy of generosity? It's greed, the excessive desire for personal gain and security. However, we do not need to be afraid for true generosity does not impoverish the giver, but enriches that person a hundredfold! Generosity expands the soul - but greed contracts it. God is generous and superabundant in lavishing his gifts upon us. We can never outmatch God in generosity. He has given us the best of gifts in sending us his only-begotten Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, who offered up his life for us on the cross. The Father also offers us the gift of the Holy Spirit who fills us with the fruit of peace, joy, patience, kindness, love, and self-control (Galatians 5:22) - and many other blessings as well. Everything we have is an outright gift of God. Do you know the joy and freedom of blessing others with the gifts and resources God has given to you?
What is the enemy of generosity? It's greed, the excessive desire for personal gain and security. However, we do not need to be afraid for true generosity does not impoverish the giver, but enriches that person a hundredfold! Generosity expands the soul - but greed contracts it. God is generous and superabundant in lavishing his gifts upon us. We can never outmatch God in generosity. He has given us the best of gifts in sending us his only-begotten Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, who offered up his life for us on the cross. The Father also offers us the gift of the Holy Spirit who fills us with the fruit of peace, joy, patience, kindness, love, and self-control (Galatians 5:22) - and many other blessings as well. Everything we have is an outright gift of God. Do you know the joy and freedom of blessing others with the gifts and resources God has given to you?
What
controls or rules your life?
Jesus concludes his parable with a lesson on what controls or rules our lives. Who is the master (or ruler) in charge of your life? Our "master" is that which governs our thought-life, shapes our ideals, and 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."
Jesus concludes his parable with a lesson on what controls or rules our lives. Who is the master (or ruler) in charge of your life? Our "master" is that which governs our thought-life, shapes our ideals, and 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."
When
a number of the religious leaders heard Jesus' parable they reacted with scorn
(Luke 16:14). Jesus spoke to the condition of their hearts - 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 heart must either be
possessed by God's love or our heart will be possessed by the love of something
else.
The
Lord alone can satisfy our desires and give us generous hearts
There is one Master alone who has the power to set us free from greed and possessiveness. That Master is the Lord Jesus Christ who died to set us free and who rose to give us new abundant life. The Lord Jesus invites us to make him the Master and Lord of our lives. He alone can satisfy the desires of our heart and transform us in his love through the power of the Holy Spirit.
There is one Master alone who has the power to set us free from greed and possessiveness. That Master is the Lord Jesus Christ who died to set us free and who rose to give us new abundant life. The Lord Jesus invites us to make him the Master and Lord of our lives. He alone can satisfy the desires of our heart and transform us in his love through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Our
money, time, and possessions are precious resources and gifts from God. We can
guard them jealously for ourselves alone or allow the love of the Lord to guide
us in making good use of them for the benefit of others - especially those in
need - and for the work of the Lord in advancing his kingdom. Ask the Lord to
fill your heart with a spirit of generosity and joy in sharing what you have
with others.
"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."
Daily
Quote from the early church fathers: Jesus recommends the foresight,
prudence, and ingenuity of the steward, by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430
A.D.
"Why
did the Lord Jesus Christ present this parable to us? He surely did not approve
of that cheat of a servant who cheated his master, stole from him and did not
make it up from his own pocket. On top of that, he also did some extra
pilfering. He caused his master further loss, in order to prepare a little nest
of quiet and security for himself after he lost his job. Why did the Lord set
this before us? It is not because that servant cheated but because he exercised
foresight for the future. When even a cheat is praised for his ingenuity,
Christians who make no such provision blush. I mean, this is what he added,
'Behold, the children of this age are more prudent than the children of light.'
They perpetrate frauds in order to secure their future. In what life, after
all, did that steward insure himself like that? What one was he going to quit
when he bowed to his master's decision? He was insuring himself for a life that
was going to end. Would you not insure yourself for eternal life?" (excerpt
from 359A.10.)
25th Sunday in Ordinary Time – Cycle C
Note: Where a Scripture text is underlined in the body of this discussion, it is recommended that the reader look up and read that passage.
1st Reading - Amos 8:4-7
Amos was the earliest of the written prophets. He was born in Tekoa, near Bethlehem, probably around the beginning of the 8th century B.C. This was before the fall of the kingdom of Israel. While he was shepherding his flock he was called by God to prophesy in the northern kingdom. Amos makes it quite clear in his book that God’s choice of him was quite unmerited, because he was neither “a prophet nor the son of a prophet.” He ministered in the reign of Jeroboam II (783-743 B.C.), using as his base the schismatic shrine at Bethel. He was a contemporary of Hosea.
At that time the northern kingdom, thanks to its conquests, was enjoying a period of great prosperity, but there were sharp contrasts between rich and poor and many instances of inequality and injustice: the spirit of true religion was difficult to find. Amos, a deeply religious man, zealous for God’s glory, condemns dissolute city life, social injustice and insincerity of religious worship. He exposes those who exploit the poor and upbraids judges for their venality.
The book is a hymn to God’s omnipotence and to the permanence of the covenant. It is full of rich imagery and vivid parables based on the pastoral and rural life with which Amos was so familiar. Through this he passes on God’s message; if the people do not change their ways they will soon be punished by Yahweh: the kingdom will collapse and the inhabitants will be sent into exile. This is the last chance God will give them to avoid this outcome. In spite of all the criticism the prophet levels at his people, there is still, as always, a shaft of hope; in the context of the repentance to which he calls them, he speaks of future salvation for the remnant of Joseph who with the remnant of Judah will experience the grace of messianic restoration.
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,
Numbers 28:11-15 prescribes that on the first day of each new lunar month a holocaust should be offered consisting of two bulls, a ram, and seven lambs, as well as other offerings and libations; a goat was also to be offered, as a sacrifice for sin. This celebration of the first day of the new moon is ancient in origin. Like the Sabbath, it was a day of rest when no business was transacted. It continued to be a festive day to the end of Old Testament times and even into the New Testament period (see Colossians 2:16).
“that we may sell our grain, and the sabbath, that we may display the wheat?
Also a day of reverence and rest (the 3rd commandment). Failure to observe the Sabbath was punishable by death (Exodus 31:14-15). Failure to participate in Sunday Mass is a mortal sin – it kills the soul if not confessed and forgiven. The Israelites wait impatiently for the termination of the holy days so that they can engage in lucrative business practice. The plutocratic landlords would cheat and oppress the poor.
We will diminish the ephah,
A dry measure equal to slightly more than a bushel. Law forbade Israelite merchants to make use of a dishonest ephah measure (Leviticus 19:36; Deuteronomy 25:14-15).
add to the shekel,
A conventionally established unit of weight (about 2/5th ounce)
and fix our scales for cheating!
The excavation of Tizah, the earlier capital of Israel, has brought to light the use of several sets of weights.
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!”
The merchants are so greedy that they sell what should be discarded.
7 The LORD has sworn by the pride of Jacob:
This may be a synonym for Yahweh Himself.
Never will I forget a thing they have done!
2nd Reading - 1 Timothy 2:1-8
Last week we heard St. Paul advising Timothy about false teachers and the damage they were doing. Today we hear him advise about public prayer.
2:1 First of all, then, I ask that supplications, prayers, petitions, and thanksgivings be offered for everyone,
Every human being is to be included in the intercessory and thanksgiving prayer intentions of the community.
2 for kings and for all in authority, that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life in all devotion and dignity.
Like the Jews, Christians did not participate in civic worship of the gods and so were suspect. In part to offset that suspicion both groups made it clear that they did pray for the welfare of the emperor and other civic authorities. In Romans 13:1-7 we are told to be obedient to the civil authorities and are reminded that these authorities are established by God. Here the prayer is not out of a concern for patriotism but out of a desire that the authorities might allow the Christians to lead a peaceful and quiet life and that the authorities might come to a clear knowledge of the truth.
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.
“Is God not good to all, then? He is certainly good to all, because He is the Savior of all, especially the faithful. And so the Lord Jesus came that He might save what was lost (Luke 19:10); he came, indeed, to take away the sin of the world (John 1:29) to heal our wounds. But not all desire the remedy, and many avoid it... He heals those that are willing and does not compel the unwilling.” [Saint Ambrose of Milan (ca. A.D. 350), The Prayer of Job and David 2,4]
5 For there is one God.
If God is one, He must be concerned with all peoples, not just with this or that group or nation.
There is also one mediator between God and the human race, Christ Jesus,
The repetition of the word “one” links Christ with God. This does not mean that we should not pray for one another, or that those who have gone before us cannot intercede for us. We hear from Jesus’ own lips in the story of Lazarus and the Rich Man (Luke 16:19-31, our Gospel reading for next week) of the intercession of the rich man for his brothers who are still alive. It is through Jesus’ once-for-all sacrifice on the altar of the cross that heaven has been opened and we can approach God and have our individual sins forgiven.
“Through His body the Church has been allied to Christ and has been enabled to become a partaker in the Word of God. We know this both from the fact that He is called the ‘mediator between God and the human race,’ and from the apostle’s saying that’ in Him we have access through faith in the hope of the glory of God (Romans 5:2).” [Origen (ca. A.D. 240), Homilies on Song of Songs 3,2]
himself human, 6 who gave himself as ransom
See Mark 10:45. The ransom refers to the sacrifice which He made so that we would no longer be slaves/servants of God and would become His children.
for all.
The emphasis is on the universality of Christ’s work.
This was the testimony at the proper time.
The time chosen by God for the salvation of men (Titus 1:3; Galatians 4:4; Ephesians 1:10).
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.
Paul has been appointed to preach this message of salvation. The terms Aapostle@ and Ateacher@ lend emphasis to his assertion. It is his commission to lead the Gentiles to faith; the object of this faith is divine truth.
8 It is my wish, then, that in every place the men should pray, lifting up holy hands,
In early Christian art this is the normal posture of a person at prayer – standing, with hands outstretched, and with palms turned upward toward heaven to indicate receptivity of God’s gifts.
“Even a person’s bearing, when he raises his hands, describes a cross; therefore we are ordered to pray with uplifted hands so that by the very stance of our body we might confess the Lord’s suffering.” [Maximus, Bishop of Turin (died A.D. 408/423), Sermons 38,3]
without anger or argument.
See Philippians 2:14. According to Paul, the false teachers typically promote debates and arguments (1 Timothy 6:4; 2 Timothy 2:14, 23). To be at peace with one’s neighbor is a necessary condition of effective prayer (see Matthew 5:23-24; 6:14; Mark 11:25).
Note: Where a Scripture text is underlined in the body of this discussion, it is recommended that the reader look up and read that passage.
1st Reading - Amos 8:4-7
Amos was the earliest of the written prophets. He was born in Tekoa, near Bethlehem, probably around the beginning of the 8th century B.C. This was before the fall of the kingdom of Israel. While he was shepherding his flock he was called by God to prophesy in the northern kingdom. Amos makes it quite clear in his book that God’s choice of him was quite unmerited, because he was neither “a prophet nor the son of a prophet.” He ministered in the reign of Jeroboam II (783-743 B.C.), using as his base the schismatic shrine at Bethel. He was a contemporary of Hosea.
At that time the northern kingdom, thanks to its conquests, was enjoying a period of great prosperity, but there were sharp contrasts between rich and poor and many instances of inequality and injustice: the spirit of true religion was difficult to find. Amos, a deeply religious man, zealous for God’s glory, condemns dissolute city life, social injustice and insincerity of religious worship. He exposes those who exploit the poor and upbraids judges for their venality.
The book is a hymn to God’s omnipotence and to the permanence of the covenant. It is full of rich imagery and vivid parables based on the pastoral and rural life with which Amos was so familiar. Through this he passes on God’s message; if the people do not change their ways they will soon be punished by Yahweh: the kingdom will collapse and the inhabitants will be sent into exile. This is the last chance God will give them to avoid this outcome. In spite of all the criticism the prophet levels at his people, there is still, as always, a shaft of hope; in the context of the repentance to which he calls them, he speaks of future salvation for the remnant of Joseph who with the remnant of Judah will experience the grace of messianic restoration.
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,
Numbers 28:11-15 prescribes that on the first day of each new lunar month a holocaust should be offered consisting of two bulls, a ram, and seven lambs, as well as other offerings and libations; a goat was also to be offered, as a sacrifice for sin. This celebration of the first day of the new moon is ancient in origin. Like the Sabbath, it was a day of rest when no business was transacted. It continued to be a festive day to the end of Old Testament times and even into the New Testament period (see Colossians 2:16).
“that we may sell our grain, and the sabbath, that we may display the wheat?
Also a day of reverence and rest (the 3rd commandment). Failure to observe the Sabbath was punishable by death (Exodus 31:14-15). Failure to participate in Sunday Mass is a mortal sin – it kills the soul if not confessed and forgiven. The Israelites wait impatiently for the termination of the holy days so that they can engage in lucrative business practice. The plutocratic landlords would cheat and oppress the poor.
We will diminish the ephah,
A dry measure equal to slightly more than a bushel. Law forbade Israelite merchants to make use of a dishonest ephah measure (Leviticus 19:36; Deuteronomy 25:14-15).
add to the shekel,
A conventionally established unit of weight (about 2/5th ounce)
and fix our scales for cheating!
The excavation of Tizah, the earlier capital of Israel, has brought to light the use of several sets of weights.
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!”
The merchants are so greedy that they sell what should be discarded.
7 The LORD has sworn by the pride of Jacob:
This may be a synonym for Yahweh Himself.
Never will I forget a thing they have done!
2nd Reading - 1 Timothy 2:1-8
Last week we heard St. Paul advising Timothy about false teachers and the damage they were doing. Today we hear him advise about public prayer.
2:1 First of all, then, I ask that supplications, prayers, petitions, and thanksgivings be offered for everyone,
Every human being is to be included in the intercessory and thanksgiving prayer intentions of the community.
2 for kings and for all in authority, that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life in all devotion and dignity.
Like the Jews, Christians did not participate in civic worship of the gods and so were suspect. In part to offset that suspicion both groups made it clear that they did pray for the welfare of the emperor and other civic authorities. In Romans 13:1-7 we are told to be obedient to the civil authorities and are reminded that these authorities are established by God. Here the prayer is not out of a concern for patriotism but out of a desire that the authorities might allow the Christians to lead a peaceful and quiet life and that the authorities might come to a clear knowledge of the truth.
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.
“Is God not good to all, then? He is certainly good to all, because He is the Savior of all, especially the faithful. And so the Lord Jesus came that He might save what was lost (Luke 19:10); he came, indeed, to take away the sin of the world (John 1:29) to heal our wounds. But not all desire the remedy, and many avoid it... He heals those that are willing and does not compel the unwilling.” [Saint Ambrose of Milan (ca. A.D. 350), The Prayer of Job and David 2,4]
5 For there is one God.
If God is one, He must be concerned with all peoples, not just with this or that group or nation.
There is also one mediator between God and the human race, Christ Jesus,
The repetition of the word “one” links Christ with God. This does not mean that we should not pray for one another, or that those who have gone before us cannot intercede for us. We hear from Jesus’ own lips in the story of Lazarus and the Rich Man (Luke 16:19-31, our Gospel reading for next week) of the intercession of the rich man for his brothers who are still alive. It is through Jesus’ once-for-all sacrifice on the altar of the cross that heaven has been opened and we can approach God and have our individual sins forgiven.
“Through His body the Church has been allied to Christ and has been enabled to become a partaker in the Word of God. We know this both from the fact that He is called the ‘mediator between God and the human race,’ and from the apostle’s saying that’ in Him we have access through faith in the hope of the glory of God (Romans 5:2).” [Origen (ca. A.D. 240), Homilies on Song of Songs 3,2]
himself human, 6 who gave himself as ransom
See Mark 10:45. The ransom refers to the sacrifice which He made so that we would no longer be slaves/servants of God and would become His children.
for all.
The emphasis is on the universality of Christ’s work.
This was the testimony at the proper time.
The time chosen by God for the salvation of men (Titus 1:3; Galatians 4:4; Ephesians 1:10).
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.
Paul has been appointed to preach this message of salvation. The terms Aapostle@ and Ateacher@ lend emphasis to his assertion. It is his commission to lead the Gentiles to faith; the object of this faith is divine truth.
8 It is my wish, then, that in every place the men should pray, lifting up holy hands,
In early Christian art this is the normal posture of a person at prayer – standing, with hands outstretched, and with palms turned upward toward heaven to indicate receptivity of God’s gifts.
“Even a person’s bearing, when he raises his hands, describes a cross; therefore we are ordered to pray with uplifted hands so that by the very stance of our body we might confess the Lord’s suffering.” [Maximus, Bishop of Turin (died A.D. 408/423), Sermons 38,3]
without anger or argument.
See Philippians 2:14. According to Paul, the false teachers typically promote debates and arguments (1 Timothy 6:4; 2 Timothy 2:14, 23). To be at peace with one’s neighbor is a necessary condition of effective prayer (see Matthew 5:23-24; 6:14; Mark 11:25).
Gospel - Luke 16:1-13
Having heard last week the three parables of mercy (the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the prodigal son), this week we continue with Jesus’ teaching through the use of parables. We now hear the first parable about riches (sharing with the needy).
16:1 Then he [Jesus] also said to his disciples, “A rich man had a steward
The rich man was an absentee landlord. The steward was usually a slave born in the household and possessed great authority and full responsibility. Like the tax collector, the steward must show a profit for his master, but he could also procure personal benefits by means of adroit loans and extravagant interest. The legal system presupposed by this parable is a widely attested one and is contrary to the Old Testament ban of usury. The steward was authorized to make binding contracts for his master. The usurious interest would not be listed separately in the contract, but would be included in the one lump sum mentioned in the contract. Fifty bushels of wheat at 100% interest would be shown as a debt of 100 bushels in the contract.
who was reported to him for squandering his property.
Losing the property. The owner has believed the charges brought against the steward.
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.’
This is Aorist Greek. The full meaning is “I have known all along what I shall do in a case like this.”
5 He called in his master’s debtors one by one.
Although he, as steward, has made the contracts, they are the debtors of the landlord.
To the first he said, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ 6 He replied, ‘One hundred measures of olive oil.’
At least 900 gallons – the yield of about 146 olive trees
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.’
100 kors is at least 1,100 bushels; the yield of about 100 acres.
He said to him, ‘Here is your promissory note; write one for eighty.’ 8 And the master commended that dishonest steward
The devious employee had endangered his master’s security or wealth. What the steward probably did was to cancel the excessive interest he had required for his own personal profit.
for acting prudently.
He took decisive steps in the time of crisis, knowing what to do ahead of time.
“For the children of this world are more prudent in dealing with their own generation than are the children of light.
The steward represents the enthusiastic response which people of this age show in their dealings with one another and contrasts sharply with the lackluster response of the disciples to Jesus’ kingdom.
9 I tell you, make friends for yourselves with dishonest wealth,
Literally “mammon of iniquity.” Mammon is the Greek transliteration of the Aramaic or Hebrew word that is usually explained as meaning Athat in which one trusts.@ Use prudently the wealth that you have, in order to ensure your status within the final age; remember that wealth tends to lend men to dishonesty.
so that when it fails,
When earthly goods fail, you will be welcomed into the everlasting tents of the Kingdom of
God. Some Greek texts and the Vulgate read “when you fail” rather than “when it fails you.”
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?
The Christian must make a prudent, restrained use of earthly goods.
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.
One must set their eyes on God and not on something else.
He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.”
The disciple must give exclusive loyalty to God or succumb to the enslavement of money (earthly things, mammon), and one is loyal to God by sharing what they have with others; especially those in want.
St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church, Picayune, MS http://www.scborromeo.org
TWENTY-FIFTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, LUKE 16:1-13 or 16:10-13
(Amos 8:4-7; Psalm 113; 1 Timothy 2:1-8)
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, LUKE 16:1-13 or 16:10-13
(Amos 8:4-7; Psalm 113; 1 Timothy 2:1-8)
KEY VERSE: "You cannot serve God and mammon" (v. 13).
TO KNOW: 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, thus ingratiating 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 guiding light of the Holy Spirit. 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.
TO LOVE: Is money my servant or am I slave to money?
TO SERVE: Lord Jesus, help me to use my resources for building your kingdom on earth.
Sunday 22 September 2019
25TH WEEK | Week I Psalter
25th Sunday In Ordinary Time
Amos 8:4-7. 1 Timothy 2:1-8. Psalm 112(113):1-2, 4-8. Luke 16:1-13.
Praise the Lord who lifts up the poor – Psalm 112(113):1-2, 4-8
‘Whoever is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much’
Amos 8:4-7. 1 Timothy 2:1-8. Psalm 112(113):1-2, 4-8. Luke 16:1-13.
Praise the Lord who lifts up the poor – Psalm 112(113):1-2, 4-8
‘Whoever is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much’
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.
Console me with your loving presence, so that my giving flows out of yours.
Saint Lorenzo Ruiz and Companions
Saint of the Day for September 22
(1600 – September 29 or 30, 1637)
 |
| San Lorenzo Ruiz Parish Church | photo by Judgefloro |
Saint Lorenzo Ruiz and Companions’ Story
Lorenzo was born in Manila of a Chinese father and a Filipino
mother, both Christians. Thus he learned Chinese and Tagalog from them, and
Spanish from the Dominicans whom he served as altar boy and sacristan. He
became a professional calligrapher, transcribing documents in beautiful
penmanship. He was a full member of the Confraternity of the Holy Rosary under
Dominican auspices. He married and had two sons and a daughter.
Lorenzo’s life took an abrupt turn when he was accused of
murder. Nothing further is known except the statement of two Dominicans that
“he was sought by the authorities on account of a homicide to which he was
present or which was attributed to him.”
At that time, three Dominican priests, Antonio Gonzalez,
Guillermo Courtet, and Miguel de Aozaraza, were about to sail to Japan in spite
of a violent persecution there. With them was a Japanese priest, Vicente
Shiwozuka de la Cruz, and a layman named Lazaro, a leper. Lorenzo, having taken
asylum with them, was allowed to accompany them. But only when they were at sea
did he learn that they were going to Japan.
They landed at Okinawa. Lorenzo could have gone on to Formosa,
but, he reported, “I decided to stay with the Fathers, because the Spaniards
would hang me there.” In Japan they were soon found out, arrested, and taken to
Nagasaki. The site of wholesale bloodshed when the atomic bomb was dropped had
known tragedy before. The 50,000 Catholics who once lived there were dispersed
or killed by persecution.
They were subjected to an unspeakable kind of torture: After
huge quantities of water were forced down their throats, they were made to lie
down. Long boards were placed on their stomachs and guards then stepped on the
ends of the boards, forcing the water to spurt violently from mouth, nose and
ears.
The superior, Fr. Gonzalez, died after some days. Both Fr.
Shiwozuka and Lazaro broke under torture, which included the insertion of
bamboo needles under their fingernails. But both were brought back to courage
by their companions.
In Lorenzo’s moment of crisis, he asked the interpreter, “I
would like to know if, by apostatizing, they will spare my life.” The
interpreter was noncommittal, but in the ensuing hours Lorenzo felt his faith
grow strong. He became bold, even audacious, with his interrogators.
The five were put to death by being hanged upside down in pits.
Boards fitted with semi-circular holes were fitted around their waists and
stones put on top to increase the pressure. They were tightly bound, to slow
circulation and prevent a speedy death. They were allowed to hang for three
days. By that time Lorenzo and Lazaro were dead. Still alive, the three priests
were then beheaded.
In 1987, Pope John Paul II canonized these six and 10
others: Asians and Europeans, men and women, who spread the faith in the
Philippines, Formosa, and Japan. Lorenzo Ruiz is the first canonized Filipino
martyr. The Liturgical Feast of Saint Lorenzo Ruiz and Companions is
September 28.
Reflection
We ordinary Christians of today—how would we stand up in the
circumstances these martyrs faced? We sympathize with the two who temporarily
denied the faith. We understand Lorenzo’s terrible moment of temptation. But we
see also the courage—inexplainable in human terms—which surged from their store
of faith. Martyrdom, like ordinary life, is a miracle of grace.
Lectio Divina: 25th Sunday of Ordinary Time (C)
Lectio Divina
Sunday, September 22, 2019
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
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 traveling 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, and 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 wisely 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 in
using 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:
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."
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 logic 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 logic 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 the administration that the Lord has entrusted
to me in my life.
This reality is repeated in the Old Testament several times ,
especially referring to the royal richness or to the richness of the city or of
the empires: in the Book of Chronicles, for example, it is spoken about
the administrators of King David (1 Chr 27:31; 28:1) and the meeting of
administrators of the kings and the princes also in the Book of Esther (3:9),
Daniel (2:49; 6:4) and Tobit (1:22). It is a totally worldly administration,
linked to possessions, to money, to wealth, to power; therefore, bound to a
negative reality, such as 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 negative aspects, or the positive, come
from their use and not from the objects themselves.
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 people. Saint Paul says, “Each one should consider himself as
Christ’s servant, stewards 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 in 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 Pet 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. Why? Simply, because He offers 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 for
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 rock and not on sand, that is, the man who bases his existence on the word
of the Lord or also in Mt 25, where he says that the virgins who had the oil
for their lamps 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 rich in
injustice. Dishonesty is a characteristic which can corrode the being, in big
things, in the great, but also 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 center 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 continually,
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, and concrete. I keep in my heart this colossal,
marvelous 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!” (Josh 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. Acts 20:19; I Thess 1:9; Gal 1:10; Rom 12:11).
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Do not be overawed when someone gets rich,
and lives in ever greater splendor;
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.
and lives in ever greater splendor;
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.
“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. Augustine).
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 robbed. 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… (Acts 28:30).
Lord, I have robbed. 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… (Acts 28:30).
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