Seek to serve God in all things
Reflections on the readings for the 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time (September 22, 2019): AM 8:4-7; PS 113:1-2,4-6,7-8; 1 TM 2:1-8; LK 16:1-13
MISSIO offers “Preaching Mission,” as a homily help, providing connections to mission from the readings of Sundays, Feast Days and Holy Days.
The parable with which Jesus opens today’s Gospel introduces us to a dishonest steward.
He learns that he is about to be fired and finds a way to ingratiate himself with people who owe money to the rich man for whom he works. Because he handled the accounts, it was common for a servant in his position to practice usury with those who owe money to his master. So by changing the promissory notes to eliminate what he would have stolen for himself, the steward manages to gain their gratitude. Christ is not praising the steward for being dishonest. Rather, he shows him as someone who finds a way to secure his earthly future. How much more important is it for us to prepare for our eternity. We need to use all the gifts, talents and resources that God puts into our hands to serve Him. And that means helping those in need and seeking the welfare of God’s people – our brothers and sisters – to the best of our ability.
Jesus also reminds His listeners of two important points for all who follow Him. “The person who is trustworthy in very small matters is also trustworthy in great ones;… 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” (Luke 16:10,13). We need to be people of integrity who live our faith in Christ and care about our neighbors in everyday matters. Otherwise, we can never expect to live as true Christians in difficult times. Also, we must be sure that we do not allow anything or anyone to come between God and us. Wealth, possessions, power, pleasure, reputation – nothing must mean more to us that our relationship with our loving Lord.
