Sep 16, 2013
Amos
8:4-7
Psalm 113:1-2, 4-6, 7-8
1 Timothy 2:1-8
Luke 16:1-13
The steward in today's Gospel confronts the reality that he can't
go on living the way he has been. He is under judgment, must give
account for what he has done.
The exploiters of the poor in today's First Reading are also about
to be pulled down, thrust from their stations (see
Isaiah 22:19). Servants of mammon or money, they're so
in love with wealth that they reduce the poor to objects, despise
the new moons and sabbaths - the observances and holy days of God
(see
Leviticus 23:24;
Exodus 20:8).
Their only hope is to follow the steward's path. He is no model of
repentance. But he makes a prudent calculation - to use his last
hours in charge of his master's property to show mercy to others,
to relieve their debts.
He is a child of this world, driven by a purely selfish motive - to
make friends and be welcomed into the homes of his master's
debtors. Yet his prudence is commended as an example to us, the
children of light (see
1
Thessalonians 5:5;
Ephesians 5:8). We too must realize, as the steward
does, that what we have is not honestly ours, but what in truth
belongs to another, our Master.
All the mammon in the world could not have paid the debt we owe our
Master. So He paid it for us, gave His life as a ransom for all, as
we hear in today's Epistle.
God wants everyone to be saved, even kings and princes, even the
lovers of money (see
Luke 16:14). But we cannot serve two Masters. By his
grace, we should choose to be, as we sing in today's Psalm -
"servants of the Lord."
We serve Him by using what He has entrusted us with to give alms,
to lift the lowly from the dust and dunghills of this world. By
this we will gain what is ours, be welcomed into eternal dwellings,
the many mansions of the Father's house (see John
14:2).