Luke 16:9-15

Romans 16:3-9, 16, 22-27

Psalm 145:2-3, 4-5, 10-11

Luke 16:9-15

Jesus said to his disciples:

“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.”

The Pharisees, who loved money,

heard all these things and sneered at him.

And he said to them,

“You justify yourselves in the sight of others,

but God knows your hearts;

for what is of human esteem is an abomination in the sight of God.”

Opening Prayer: Lord God, I love you above all things. A day in your heavenly court is better and worth more than all the kingdoms of this world. I choose to serve you today and help my brothers and sisters in need.

Encountering the Word of God

1. Make Friends with Dishonest Wealth: The purpose of the Parable of the Dishonest Steward is not to invite us to practice dishonesty, act fraudulently, or “cook the books,” to help ourselves. When Jesus reveals the meaning of the parable (Luke 16:9-15), he refers to how the steward was prudent to use “dishonest wealth” to be welcomed into earthly dwellings. Likewise, we are to use our earthly wealth to be welcomed into eternal dwellings. If the dishonest steward was prudent enough to plan his earthly future to receive a welcome into people’s homes, how much more ought the faithful and prudent steward of the Lord prudently plan a heavenly future to be welcomed into the Lord’s eternal dwelling (see Gadenz, The Gospel of Luke, 282). Drawing out the lesson, Jesus teaches that we cannot serve two masters: “Those who trust in wealth are in effect serving mammon as if it were a god. Faithful disciples will instead serve as good stewards of all that God has entrusted to them, generously sharing what they have with others” (Gadenz, The Gospel of Luke, 283).

2. We are Known by God: When we read passages like Romans 16:3-27, it raises the question of why so many passages in the Bible are lists of names. For example, the early chapters of Genesis are full of genealogies. The Book of Numbers includes the results of two censuses of the people of Israel. The first 9 chapters of 1 Chronicles are a list of names. Isn’t there a better use for entire chapters of God’s revealed Word? What is God telling us in these chapters that we are tempted to skip over? One important truth is that we are known and loved individually by God. The Bible doesn’t just record the stories of great rulers but includes the names of humble family members. Name after name after name… And while we know almost nothing about them, they are fully known by God. Another truth that comes out in Paul’s conclusion to the Letter to the Romans is that we form one family in Christ. He is eager to greet all of his brothers and sisters when he finally gets to Rome.

3. God knows your Hearts: Not only does God know each one of us by name, but God, as Jesus teaches in the Gospel, knows our hearts. Jesus calls out the Pharisees because they presented themselves as holy on the outside, but inside were full of corruption. Human beings can see the outside of a person and their exterior works. But God can see the heart and judge it. It has been said that we barely know our own hearts. It is difficult to know why we choose to do what we do or to say what we say. And yet, all of this is known to God. He can see our hearts when they are prideful and when they are humble, when they are full of sorrow and when they are full of joy, and when they act with purity of intention and when they are selfish. As the Letter to the Hebrews teaches: “Indeed, the word of God is living and effective, sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating even between soul and spirit, joints and marrow, and able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart. No creature is concealed from him, but everything is naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must render an account” (Hebrews 4:12-13).

Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, teach me to judge the things of this world aright.  Grant me a share in your wisdom. Purify my heart with your grace and banish from it any evil desires or thoughts.

Living the Word of God: Am I eager each Sunday to greet my brothers and sisters in Christ? Do I know their names and their stories? Do I truly treat them as my brothers and sisters? How can I do better?