Reading 1 Rom 15:14-21
I myself am convinced about you, my brothers and sisters,
that you yourselves are full of goodness,
filled with all knowledge, and able to admonish one another.
But I have written to you rather boldly in some respects to remind you,
because of the grace given me by God
to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles
in performing the priestly service of the Gospel of God,
so that the offering up of the Gentiles may be acceptable,
sanctified by the Holy Spirit.
In Christ Jesus, then, I have reason to boast in what pertains to God.
For I will not dare to speak of anything
except what Christ has accomplished through me
to lead the Gentiles to obedience by word and deed,
by the power of signs and wonders,
by the power of the Spirit of God,
so that from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum
I have finished preaching the Gospel of Christ.
Thus I aspire to proclaim the Gospel
not where Christ has already been named,
so that I do not build on another's foundation,
but as it is written:
Those who have never been told of him shall see,
and those who have never heard of him shall understand.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 98:1, 2-3ab, 3cd-4
R. (see 2b) The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.
Sing to the LORD a new song,
for he has done wondrous deeds;
His right hand has won victory for him,
his holy arm.
R. The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.
The LORD has made his salvation known:
in the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice.
He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulness
toward the house of Israel.
R. The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.
All the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation by our God.
Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands;
break into song; sing praise.
R. The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.
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: Romans 15:14-21
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“I will not dare to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me.” (Romans 15:18)
Although he has spent a great deal of time ministering to established Christian communities, Paul’s deepest desire was to break new ground, to make Christ known to those who had never heard of him. So he invited the believers in Rome —virtual strangers to him —to pray for his missionary work.
Those of us who live in nations with a long history of Christianity may feel far removed from concerns such as Paul’s. Surely everyone we encounter recognizes the name of Jesus and knows something of his life and how important he is.
Or do they? In many ways, we live in a “post-Christian” world, where many people believe that all our problems can be solved by scientific advances, more just laws, or social changes. They may have heard of Jesus, but they haven’t experienced his love for them. They may know a few things about Jesus’ life, but they haven’t heard that he wants to enter into a personal relationship with them that can change their lives. That’s the message we can give to people.
In your prayer today, spend a few moments asking the Lord to give you the conviction and the courage you need to go out and spread the good news. Evangelization begins with this inner conviction from the Holy Spirit. It begins with the conviction that Jesus wants every person to come to know him as Lord and Savior —and that he wants us to be his instruments. Then, ask the Holy Spirit to give you an opportunity today to share this good news with someone.
As you go about your day, stay alert for the openings the Spirit will give you. The possibilities could range from a worried stranger on a hospital elevator, to your daughter who is upset about her day, to a friend you see in the grocery store. Offer to say the Lord’s Prayer with him or her, offer a word of comfort, talk about Jesus and his love. And if this person declines your offer, you can always offer a blessing in the quiet of your heart!
“Holy Spirit, give me the strength and the courage to spread the good news.”
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