WE MUST ACT PROMPTLY
Introduction
For Paul, the greatest sign of the gratuitous love of God is the cross. He exhorts his Philippians once more not to let themselves be misled by the Judaizers but to stand firm in the Lord.
Whatever the unknown context of today’s parable may have been, the central thought of Jesus’ words seems to be this: Much has been entrusted to us and we will have to give an account for it to God. We must act responsibly and promptly, keeping our goal in mind: God and our neighbour. Let us be people who try to know where we are going and what we are doing.
Opening Prayer
Lord our God,
you have made us responsible with you
for many persons and things:
for ourselves, for other people,
for the future of this world.
May we be good stewards
of all you have entrusted to us.
Help us to use our talents wisely and well
in the service of all that is good,
always inspired by faith
and living in the love
of Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen!
1 Reading: Philippians 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 saviour, 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.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 122:1-2, 3-4ab, 4cd-5
R. 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.
Jerusalem, built as a city
with compact unity.
To it the tribes go up,
the tribes of the LORD. R.
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.
Alleluia 1 John 2:5
Alleluia, alleluia.
Whoever keeps the word of Christ,
the love of God is truly perfected in him.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel 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.”
Commentary
Paul reminds his hearers today to be on guard. There are people who are enemies of the cross of Christ. They are lost in selfish and evil concerns, eating and drinking to excess, engaging in sexual misconduct. They are destined for destruction. But we are citizens of the heavenly country, from where we expect our Saviour to return. He will transform our mortality into immortality, conferring on us the glorification that is now his. And what must our posture be? Stand firm in the Lord!
We too live in the midst of what is in many ways an evil generation.
We must avoid being seduced and losing sight of our goal. The Gospel today reminds us of the importance of decisive action in the face of danger. Passivity in the face of danger can easily lead to corruption. The steward reduced the cost of payment to his master in order to be on friendly terms with the debtors.
Financial burdens can weigh heavily in people’s lives. Every time that we can extend a helping hand, the burden is lightened. Even if we cannot do a great deal, life is made a bit easier. Money in itself is not “filthy.” It becomes that through passivity and greed. Our treasure is above, in a place that is beyond corruption. There we can amass a fortune by using the things of this world for the well-being of others.
Intercessions
– For the Church, that it may be a serving Church and a Church of the poor, bearing witness to God’s gratuitousness as a living parable of sharing, we pray:
– For those in positions of responsibility in politics, finances and the economy, that honesty, justice and concern for the good of all may guide their decisions and actions, we pray:
– For those who live by the work of their hands, that people may recognize their dignity and the service they render to all, we pray:
Prayer over the Gifts
Lord our God,
in these gifts, we bring before you
our toil and care,
with the aspirations and sufferings
of people far and near.
Let us always entrust to you everything
for which you have made us responsible,
not to refuse our task but to ask you to give us
the patience and the strength,
with your help to bring everything to a good end.
We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen!
Prayer after Communion
Lord our God,
we are but weak and timid,
and yet we know that you expect much of us.
Open our hearts to the bold Spirit
of Jesus, your Son,
that in us and through us, he may bring to a good end
all you have begun in us
through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen!
Blessing
God has entrusted much to us to be thankful for: our talents, our friends and relatives, other people, even nature. Let us care for everything entrusted to us. May Almighty God bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!