Reading 1
Phil 3:17—4:1
Join with others in being imitators of me, brothers and sisters,
and observe those who thus conduct themselves
according to the model you have in us.
For many, as I have often told you
and now tell you even in tears,
conduct themselves as enemies of the cross of Christ.
Their end is destruction.
Their God is their stomach;
their glory is in their “shame.”
Their minds are occupied with earthly things.
But our citizenship is in heaven,
and from it we also await a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.
He will change our lowly body
to conform with his glorified Body
by the power that enables him also
to bring all things into subjection to himself.
Therefore, my brothers and sisters,
whom I love and long for, my joy and crown,
in this way stand firm in the Lord, beloved.
Ps 122:1-2, 3-4ab, 4cd-5
Responsorial PsalmR. (1)
Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
I rejoiced because they said to me,
“We will go up to the house of the LORD.”
And now we have set foot
within your gates, O Jerusalem.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
Jerusalem, built as a city
with compact unity.
To it the tribes go up,
the tribes of the LORD.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
According to the decree for Israel,
to give thanks to the name of the LORD.
In it are set up judgment seats,
seats for the house of David.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
Gospel
Lk 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.”
Meditation: Luke 16:1-8
“The master commended that dishonest steward for acting prudently.” (Luke 16:8)
Our first impression upon hearing this parable might be that the steward was a thief. But the master accused the steward of mismanagement and wastefulness, not stealing: “A rich man had a steward who was reported to him for squandering his property” (Luke 16:1). Who reported him? Maybe it was one of the manager’s debtors, angry about the exorbitant interest that the steward was charging. It’s quite possible that this steward had overcharged the debtors for his own benefit.
In telling this story, Jesus wasn’t encouraging dishonesty. Rather, he was showcasing the steward’s resourcefulness and clever thinking. After all, when he found out that his master was going to fire him, this fellow made friends with the debtors by cutting down on his own salary to their benefit. The debtors’ payments were lowered, the steward secured a place for himself outside his master’s house, and the master’s reputation was restored. Everybody won that day!
The steward’s questionable morality is not the heart of Jesus’ parable here. Rather, it’s the principle of shrewdness. Just as the steward used his money to prepare an earthly dwelling for himself, we can be clever in the use of our money to help secure our heavenly home. There’s a way that the level of our generosity toward the poor and needy will determine the extent of the eternal reward waiting for us—and for those around us.
How is this so? If we give of ourselves and our money, we are helping bring the gospel to people who otherwise might never hear the good news. For example, if we contribute to, or even better volunteer our time in, a youth program or a prison ministry, we are not only pleasing the Father, we are helping other people come to know Jesus. If we are “shrewd” in our relationships, always seeking to build up our friends and family in godliness, we not only develop closer relationships, we build the church as well.
So be shrewd today. Ask the Lord to help you find a way in which everybody wins!
“Jesus, keep teaching me how to build godly friendships so that I can help advance your kingdom.”
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