Luke 16:1-8

Romans 15:14-21

Psalm 98:1, 2-3ab, 3cd-4

Luke 16:1-8

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 he said, ‘And you, how much do you owe?’

He replied, ‘One hundred measures 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 the children of light.”

Opening Prayer: Lord God, I am a child of the light, of your divine light. Guide me to be prudent in how I administer the good things I have received and earned. Inspire me to be honest and just in all my endeavors.

Encountering the Word of God

1. The Parable of the Dishonest Steward: The Gospel of Luke often praises the blessings of poverty and warns us about the dangers of wealth. Today’s Gospel parable is about using and administering our earthly wealth wisely so as to be welcomed into heavenly glory. While the steward in the parable is dishonest (untrustworthy) but prudent (streetwise), Jesus’ disciples are to be both trustworthy and prudent. The steward manifests a whole slew of vices. He squandered and mismanaged his master’s property. He was too lazy for manual labor. He was too vain to beg for money. He even engaged in fraud when he falsified the accounts and reduced what his master’s debtors owed. One debtor owed a thousand gallons (one hundred measures) of olive oil. This debt was cut in half. Another owed a thousand bushels of wheat (one hundred kors), and his debt was reduced to 800. The parable implies he did the same with many other debtors. Jesus’ parables often employ an unexpected twist. The twist in this parable is that instead of the master flying into a rage because of the steward’s actions, the master commends the untrustworthy steward for his prudence. What is it that Jesus wants his disciples to learn from the parable? That the children of this world – exemplified by the dishonest steward – are often more prudent than the children of light, i.e., his disciples. If the dishonest steward prudently ensured that he would be welcomed in earthly (temporal) dwellings, then how should Jesus’ disciples use their earthly wealth to ensure that they will be welcomed in heavenly (eternal) dwellings?

2. Priestly Service: In the First Reading, Romans 15:14 brings us to the formal conclusion of Paul’s letter. Paul recognizes how Roman Christian believers have progressed in their faith: “you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, and able to admonish one another” (Romans 15:14). Despite this, they still have room to grow, and this is why Paul wrote to them. Paul has been given the grace of apostleship by God and is a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles. Paul characterizes his apostolic ministry and evangelization as priestly service. He envisions himself spiritually offering to God the Gentile converts. This sacrifice is made acceptable through the action of the Holy Spirit, “who sanctifies even heathen nonbelievers who come to faith in Jesus by transferring them to the realm of divine holiness” (Hahn and Mitch, Romans, 268). Paul sees this as a fulfillment of Isaiah 66:18-20, which announces a future time of blessing upon both Israel and the Gentiles. God has sent out a faithful remnant as heralds among the nations. “In this way the scattered children of Israel will be reunited and Gentiles will be gathered in. This grand event is likened to a ‘grain offering’ presented to the Lord in the Jerusalem temple” (Hahn and Mitch, Romans, 268).

3. God’s Instrument: Paul does not take credit for his success among the Gentiles in spreading the Gospel. “Christ is the one who makes his labor bear fruit. … He is merely an instrument in the hand of God” (Hahn and Mitch, Romans, 268). Powerful signs accompanied Paul’s preaching, and these helped nonbelievers come to faith. Paul wants to continue spreading the Gospel in places where Christ was still unknown.

Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, help me to grow in faithfulness and be a trustworthy steward of the mysteries of the Kingdom. Help me to grow in prudence as I seek to extend this Kingdom in the world around me.

Living the Word of God: How can I be more prudent in the administration of my wealth? Am I using the good things I have received from God to help the poor, advance the Kingdom of God, and create a more just society? How can I be more trustworthy?