The faithful steward : accounting for our lives
Listening the Spirit
Lord, thank you for the gift of Your Word so that all your people may know and love You more and understand You better.
As I go about my day may I not forget the scriptures you have opened up for me.
Help me to recognize how You want for me to apply Your Word to my daily life. Holy Spirit, guided by Your Word, may You enlighten my mind and enkindle in my heart a greater love for You and for others in my family and in the world.
Listening the Word: Luke 16:1-13
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 the steward said, 'And you, how much do you owe?'
He replied, 'One hundred kors of wheat.'
The steward 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 are the children of light.
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 both God and mammon."
Reflection
This is the twenty-fifth Sunday in ordinary time. This Sunday, we are invited to reflect on our readiness to be faithful and accountable to God. The gospel today presents a parable where a rich man instructs another man to prepare a complete account of his stewardship because he can no longer be his steward. This parable serves as a reminder that we must be prepared to give accountability for our lives at any time. We need full accountability for our stewardship, regardless of our age. God can call us anytime. Now, while we still have time, let us strive to be ready by living well, through the sacraments, our daily good deeds, and acts of charity in our families and society.
However, often we forget to rely on God in our earthly endeavors. We become so focused on money that it becomes our primary concern, overshadowing our relationship with God. While money in itself is not evil, it becomes evil when it takes the first place in our heart. Sometimes, people even resort to cheating or stealing, thinking that are helping others, but in truth they are moving away from God.
Jesus reminds us to keep God as our master and not money. If we do, money will serve as a means and be used honestly. However, if we keep money as our master, it can corrupt us and lead us down a path of vices. Let us not forget the examples of those who have been corrupted by money, using it to seek their own gain rather than the greater good.
Let us take a moment to assess whether we have prioritized money over our lives and our relationship with God. We must also pray for those entrusted with managing money and resources , in families, communities, and society , that they may be faithful and responsible stewards.
The gospel reminds us that those who are faithful in small matters will be faithful in the big ones. Let us pray for each of us to be faithful and clear in our stewardship of our families, society, and our relationship with God. By doing so, we can avoid corruption and stay close to our loved ones, our society, and God.
God invites us to love Him above all things, even when we are tempted to love money, riches, and earthly pleasures. We need to use all we have to love Him while serving others rather that to think in ourselves alone. Let us give to God good accountability of our good deeds while using our personal gifts, talents, and resources for the good of others.
Reflection Questions
1.-In what specific areas of your life (relationships, finances, talents, time, or responsibilities) do you feel called to give a better “account” to God, and what practical steps could you take this week to become a more faithful steward in those areas?
2.- can you identify moments when financial concerns have overshadowed your relationship with God or your service to others? How might you reorder your priorities to ensure that money serves as a tool for love and service rather than becoming a master that corrupts your values?
