Reading: Am 8:4-7; 1 Tim 2:1-8; Lk 16:1-13
Investing wisely in what matters most sums up the message of this
Sunday. In the parable of the dishonest steward this Sunday, Jesus challenges
us to make good use of our ingenuity to invest in what matters most: eternal
salvation; to secure our spiritual future. We must also be aware of the dangers
of separating God from our faith practice and of serving two masters. The
readings underline the wise use of material goods that God has entrusted to us.
We are told that material goods are meant to be shared, rather than used to
exploit the poor by tempering with measuring devices, price fixing or by
causing speculative shortages in order to gain from buyers. The first reading
from Amos gives a good example of the separation between religious faith and
practice. Imagine in the temple worship some plotting in their hearts how they
are going to cheat the poor clients! That is a good example of how the children
of this world mentioned in the Gospel are well able to manipulate economic and
political situations in order to secure a better future for themselves and
their families. We must admire such intelligence, which enables modem business
persons to speculate the financial stock market through sophisticated
technology, in buying and selling their stocks on time to make money. Financial
institutions are able to invest what we place in their trust and be able to
make an interest both for themselves and for their clients. It takes the
children of this world to speculate and invest wisely.
The business manager in the parable acts nearly in the same way. He
dishonestly falsifies the debtors' records in order to win friendship with
those who would provide for him when he is fired from his job. Jesus does not
admire the steward's lack of conscience in his act, but admires his wisdom and
ability to foresee his future. The point Jesus makes is that his followers
apply the same astuteness to the one area that really matters: eternal salvation.
If we were to observe the kind of ingenuity, planning and resourcefulness that
goes into political campaigns, we would understand why the business manager in
the parable is admired. In a daring way, Jesus suggests that perhaps there is
some lesson his followers can learn from the resourcefulness, talents and
wisdom put in financial deals and political campaigns. Being a good steward may
mean looking for ways to earn more money through employment, business
opportunities and investments, so as to give more for the cause of God’s work.
Let me try to sum up in three points. 1) The point of the parable is that the
business manager uses his position to care and plan for his future. 2) The
parable argues against the separation between God and everyday life; between
faith and its application in life. 3) Jesus challenges us to be as resourceful
and dedicated in the ways of God as we are in the ways of this world, and
secure our spiritual future while there is time by wisely investing in Him.
©2019
John S. Mbinda
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