MY daily reflection and prayer:
Sunday, September 18, 2016
Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Dear my friends,
Here is the Gospel for us today according to St. Luke 16:1-13
Jesus said to his disciples, “A rich man had a steward who was reported to him for squandering his property. He summoned him and said, ‘What is this I hear about you? Prepare a full account of your stewardship, because you can no longer be my steward.’ The steward said to himself, ‘What shall I do, now that my master is taking the position of steward away from me? I am not strong enough to dig and I am ashamed to beg. I know what I shall do so that, when I am removed from the stewardship, they may welcome me into their homes.’ He called in his master’s debtors one by one. To the first he said, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ He replied, ‘One hundred measures of olive oil.’ He said to him, ‘Here is your promissory note. Sit down and quickly write one for fifty.’ Then to another 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.”
This is the Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ.
***
IN the Gospel today, Jesus Christ tells us a story about a steward whom accused mismanaged his master’s funds. Faced with loss of employment, and knowing that he is unused to physical labor and too proud to beg, he devises a prudent scheme. He generously forfeits his own commission, thereby reducing the amount owed by the debtors, thus ingratiating himself to both the debtors and his master.
Truly, the accused dishonest steward is very smart. Actually, in discounting their debts, he is giving up generously his own commission. Such a deal wins him great favor with the debtors. This is the first point in the perspective of the debtors; and the second is in the point of view of his master.
In fact, he acts as his master’s agent. So such a deal makes his master look very generous and forgiving towards those who debt him money. In such situation, surely everyone will praise such a generous landowner as the hero! The master praises his steward for making him appear as a generous and merciful landowner. It’s the reason that his master praises him prudent and smart.
So, of course, Jesus Crist does not praise the steward for his dishonest behavior but for his shrewd foresight in relieving the debts of others who he believes will, in turn, treat him as a friend and show him mercy, kindness, and generosity in his time of need.
With this story, Jesus Christ wants us to make good use of all the resources that God gives us and that come into our possession. What we invest in this present life will determine our future in the eternal life. True generosity does not impoverish, but enriches us.
God richly rewards those who give generously from the heart to help those in need. God is our Master alone who has the power to set us free from greed and selfishness. Jesus Christ invites us to make him the Master of our lives. God alone can satisfy the desires of our heart and transform us in his love.
Jesus Christ praises the enterprising steward for acting prudently, then he challenges us to consider whether we are as wise in the use of our goods as the steward. In his eyes, the steward has used his resources for the good of others. Jesus Christ reminds us to use the gift of wealth wisely for the good of our brothers and sisters. He invites us to dedicate them to God above all else. If we do that, we find the joyful freedom that only he can give.
Let’s learn from the dishonest steward in facing the crisis of life. In such situation we have to act prudently like him. Jesus Christ wants us to be free to love God and others. He reminds us that every day, in “small matters” and “great ones”, God gives us chances to exercise our love for him and for others.
Jesus is warning us that we are just like the steward in the parable. We may have all squandered the gifts God has given us, because we have all sinned and been affected by sin. Sooner or later we will die and face judgment. We have a golden opportunity to put our lives and talents at the service of his Kingdom, instead of at the service of ourselves.
In the Perpetual Adoration of the Eucharist we adore Jesus Christ who asks us to check our hearts. Whom do we serve? Do we serve God or have we made ourselves slaves of material possessions?
Do we know the joy and freedom of blessing others with the gifts and resources God has given to each of us?
Let’s pray: Lord Jesus Christ, today you remind us that we have to be prudent and smart in facing the crisis of life by using our possesion for serving God and others. It is only God our Master. Help us to be prudent and smart in serving God and others now and forever. Amen.
Kredit foto: Ilustrasi (Ist)
