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Meditation: Luke 16:1-13

25th Sunday in Ordinary Time

The master commended that dishonest steward for acting prudently. (Luke 16:8)

That’s right. The “hero” in this parable is a dishonest man who cheated his way out of a tough situation. Many commentators think the steward had been overcharging his master’s debtors so that he could take the extra money for himself. So by reducing their debts to reflect the amount they actually owed, the steward not only got rid of the evidence of his wrongdoing, he also won over the debtors. With a reputation for generosity and fair play, he could have had any job he wanted!

The prudence that Jesus highlighted in this parable is a matter of skillfully using available resources to accomplish a desired goal. This is the kind of shrewdness that Jesus wants us to take up as well. He’s not asking us to do anything dishonest, of course. But he is asking us to be careful, clever, even calculating as we live in this darkened world.

So what are some ways we can be shrewd? How about when dealing with our own sin? We are all capable of justifying ourselves, overlooking sin or explaining it away when we want to. What’s more, the devil likes to capitalize on that tendency, trying to trick us into sin. So be shrewd! Don’t fall into the trap of easy explanations or feeble excuses.

Or how about when you want to help someone come to know the Lord? You know that simply talking about the Apostles’ Creed won’t likely win people over. You have to find the right approach, the right words, and the right opportunities to share your faith. And that takes some strategizing as well as careful thought and prayer. It takes learning how to be “all things to all” people (1 Corinthians 9:22).

Being shrewd and prudent is the best way to build the kingdom. So may we all learn from today’s “dishonest steward”—without becoming dishonest ourselves!

“Jesus, help me to find creative ways to grow closer to you and to share your love. Lord, make me a shrewd evangelist!”

Amos 8:4-7; Psalm 113:1-2, 4-8; 1 Timothy 2:1-8

Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion

1. The first reading contains a strong warning to us to be fair and not to “trample upon the needy and destroy the poor of the land” (Amos 8:4). In what ways do we “trample” and “destroy” the poor, when we simply ignore their plight, rather than generously giving of our time, talent, and treasure.

2. In the responsorial psalm, we hear again how our God “raises up the lowly” and “lifts up the poor.” In light of these readings, what additional action(s) do you feel the Lord may be calling you to in order to better serve those less fortunate?

3. In the second reading, St. Paul strongly encourages prayers for all in authority. He goes on to say that they are “good and pleasing to God.” Is your partisanship so full of “anger or argument” that you might be unable to heed his admonition? Are you willing to pray on a regular basis for the president and all your elected officials, whether you agree with them or not? If not, why not?

4. In the Gospel, Jesus tells of the steward who was asked for a “full account” of his stewardship. How would you respond if Christ were to ask you to account for what he has given you? Are you willing to take some additional steps to improve the stewardship of your time, talents, and treasures? Why or why not?

5. Jesus also warns those who are not trustworthy “in very small matters.” Can you identify any situations in business, or in your relationships, where you might excuse yourself by saying, “it’s so small it really doesn’t matter?”

6. In describing the message of the parable in the Gospel, the meditation states that: “The prudence that Jesus highlighted in this parable is a matter of skillfully using available resources to accomplish a desired goal. This is the kind of shrewdness that Jesus wants us to take up as well. He’s not asking us to do anything dishonest, of course. But he is asking us to be careful, clever, even calculating as we live in this darkened world.” The meditation goes on to describe various ways to be “shrewd and prudent” in order to “build the kingdom.” How would you describe the ways the Lord wants you to be “shrewd and prudent”?

7. Take some time now to pray and ask the Lord for the grace to use the many gifts he has given you in order to draw closer to him, share his love with others, and build his kingdom. Use the prayer at the end of the meditation as a starting point.

A Christian Pilgrim

SURELY I WILL NEVER FORGET ANY OF THEIR DEEDS

(Biblical reflection on the 25th Ordinary Sunday, [Year C] – September 22, 2013

First Reading: Amos 8:4-7

Psalms: Psalm 113:1-2,4-8; Second Reading: 1Timothy 2:1-8; Gospel Reading: Luke 16:1-13

Scripture Text:

Hear this, you who tramples upon the needy, and bring the poor of the land to an end, saying, “When will the new moon be over, that we may sell grain? And the Sabbath, that we may offer wheat for sale, that we may make the ephah small and the shekel great, and deal deceitfully with false balances, that we may buy the poor for silver and the needy for a pair of sandals, and sell the refuse of the wheat?

The LORD has sworn by the pride of Jacob: “Surely I will never forget any of their deeds.” (Amos 8:4-7 RSV)

More than 700 years before the birth of Jesus, the prophet Amos was on the biblical scene, preaching the need for integrity. He was a farmer from southern Israel, who travelled to the rich northern part of the country, by divine inspiration. His mission was to condemn the selfishness of the rich who refused to help their struggling brothers and sisters. Amos had a three word formula for making money: “Make it honestly”.

He was infuriated with those people who cheated in their business dealings, and he predicted that God would take revenge on them. In today’s reading we hear his anger blazing out against the cheats, the swindlers and all dishonest and selfish people.

Some are so greedy, Amos says, that they refuse to worship or rest on the Sabbath, lest they lose business. They are even impatient with nature, complaining that it taken too long for the wheat to ripen, before they can sell it.

Amos condemned the vendors who cheated their customers by using small measures (ephah) when selling grain by the bushel, and heavy scale weights (shekel) when buying by the pound. He also denounced those who offer bribes, pay-offs and kick-backs, and who entice the poor to do their “dirty work” by offering them a few silver pieces or a pair of shoes. Amos is an old-time preacher whose message needs to be heard in today’s world. Hear him shouting to the contemporary charlatans, “God will not forget what you have done.”

Generally speaking, is our society any better than the one Amos knew, 2700 years ago? Since we constitute our society, how would we answer the following questions? Am I an honest person? Have I ever “deliberately” cheated anyone? Am I 100% trustworthy with other people’s money and possessions? Do I consider it sinful to take advantage of others, even though it’s easy to do? If you don’t rate well, you might be helped by reading the Book of Amos. It’s only nine chapters.

Unfortunately, we live in an atmosphere of deception, which makes suspicious of others’ motives and fearful of being cheated. We face everything from deliberate frauds and vicious lies to psychological manipulations – like the price $19.99 to make us think it’s much cheaper than $20.00.

Honesty is not only the best policy but the only one. The integrity we use in dealing with our neighbour determines whether or not we are honest with God. Don’t we feel some obligation to be as good as our word and help people to continue to trust others? Jesus, like Amos, clearly taught that it is maliciously sinful to deceive or victimize the poor, the uninformed, the old, the young, or anyone.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, we believe that as disciples of Christ, it is not our role to be prophets of doom. But not until we pass through the period of grief and anger so sensitively portrayed for us in the oracles of Amos of Tekoa, we will be able to arrive at the strong position of proclaimers of hope. Thank you, Lord God, for appointing Amos as your prophet to the broken world.