The Sunday Gospel --- Sept. 19, 2010
Lk 16:1-13
The Parable of the Dishonest Servant
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 shall I 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 kors of wheat.' He 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 God and mammon."
Be Enterprising and Resourceful
The Gospel Parable seems to jump out directly from newspapers headlines. Everyday we read stories of managers and agents accused of and dismissed for mismanaging of squandering the money entrusted to them. Accounts of falsified documents, forgery or counterfeiting, misuse of funds, illegal lobbying, etc.---It seems that Jesus speaks of our time rather than his own. We wonder if human nature has changed for the better, if there is something truly new under the sun.
The deeds of the steward are rather commonplace; what is surprising and disturbing is the commendation that he receives. We expect to hear Jesus vigorously denounce that swindling, but he gives none. Jesus purposely sets the scene to draw from the story and important but unexpected lesson: "Do you see the resourcefulness of the children of this world? They secure their future without delay. Would that you were as capable as they are in securing your future with God!"
Let us focus on the steward. Is he guilty of the imputation that he squandered his master's property? Most probably he is. But he does not waste time trying to justify himself. Neither does he suffer that illusion that he can find employment elsewhere. He faces his immediate concern: how to secure his future. Will he dig ditches? Never! Will he be a beggar? What a horible disgrace that will be for him!
He comes out with an acceptable solution and pursues it. He approaches his master's debtors one by one. He tears up their bills and gives them new ones---but for a much smaller amount. In so doing, he has the debtors think they are recipients of a particular favor from him. He also controls a form of blackmail on them in case they complain because they have agreed with his arrangement.
The steward loses his commission in changing and lowering the accounts. But it is much better than losing everything. In reality, it is the master who pays the price of the transaction. But how will he unmask the culprit when the steward has the relieved debtors at his control and he has the figures correct, accounted for in the promissory notes? At the end, the master can only be impressed by the cleverness of the trick. Truly a masterpiece of cunning!
The point of the parable is not the dishonesty and bad faith of the crook. The Gospel in fact condemn all forms of dishonesty. The point rather is decisiveness, resourcefulness, and prudence of the steward when faced with the specter of failure and poverty. Would that the children of light be as decisive and resourceful in securing their future---not by amassing wealth, but by laying up treasures of the kingdom!
When it comes to providing ourselves and our dear ones a good life and a promising future, we use our resourcefulness in community building, in outreach programs, and in worship activities, we help build God's kingdom here on earth and lay up for ourselves inexhaustible treasures in heaven.
Lk 16:1-13
The Parable of the Dishonest Servant
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 shall I 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 kors of wheat.' He 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 God and mammon."
Be Enterprising and Resourceful
The Gospel Parable seems to jump out directly from newspapers headlines. Everyday we read stories of managers and agents accused of and dismissed for mismanaging of squandering the money entrusted to them. Accounts of falsified documents, forgery or counterfeiting, misuse of funds, illegal lobbying, etc.---It seems that Jesus speaks of our time rather than his own. We wonder if human nature has changed for the better, if there is something truly new under the sun.
The deeds of the steward are rather commonplace; what is surprising and disturbing is the commendation that he receives. We expect to hear Jesus vigorously denounce that swindling, but he gives none. Jesus purposely sets the scene to draw from the story and important but unexpected lesson: "Do you see the resourcefulness of the children of this world? They secure their future without delay. Would that you were as capable as they are in securing your future with God!"
Let us focus on the steward. Is he guilty of the imputation that he squandered his master's property? Most probably he is. But he does not waste time trying to justify himself. Neither does he suffer that illusion that he can find employment elsewhere. He faces his immediate concern: how to secure his future. Will he dig ditches? Never! Will he be a beggar? What a horible disgrace that will be for him!
He comes out with an acceptable solution and pursues it. He approaches his master's debtors one by one. He tears up their bills and gives them new ones---but for a much smaller amount. In so doing, he has the debtors think they are recipients of a particular favor from him. He also controls a form of blackmail on them in case they complain because they have agreed with his arrangement.
The steward loses his commission in changing and lowering the accounts. But it is much better than losing everything. In reality, it is the master who pays the price of the transaction. But how will he unmask the culprit when the steward has the relieved debtors at his control and he has the figures correct, accounted for in the promissory notes? At the end, the master can only be impressed by the cleverness of the trick. Truly a masterpiece of cunning!
The point of the parable is not the dishonesty and bad faith of the crook. The Gospel in fact condemn all forms of dishonesty. The point rather is decisiveness, resourcefulness, and prudence of the steward when faced with the specter of failure and poverty. Would that the children of light be as decisive and resourceful in securing their future---not by amassing wealth, but by laying up treasures of the kingdom!
When it comes to providing ourselves and our dear ones a good life and a promising future, we use our resourcefulness in community building, in outreach programs, and in worship activities, we help build God's kingdom here on earth and lay up for ourselves inexhaustible treasures in heaven.
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