31st Week, Friday, Nov 5
Romans 15:14-21 / Luke 16:1-8
John Henry Newman, the great British convert to Catholicism,
wrote: "God committed some work to me which he has not committed to
another. I have a mission—I may never know it in this life, but I shall be told
it in the next. I shall do good. I shall do his work, if I but keep his
commandments and serve him in my calling." Many of us are not so lucky as
Paul. We do not have such a clear picture of what God is calling us to do in
this life. But like John Henry Newman, we know that if we keep God's
commandments, we will accomplish our mission. And we will be amazed in the next
life when we learn how important our mission actually was.
***
Do we really believe we have a special mission? "Lead,
kindly Light ... Lead Thou me on!" John Henry Newman
***
Paul excuses himself for interfering in the affairs of the
Church of Rome, for it was not founded by him. But he will rely on the Romans
for his missionary journeys to the West. He has two basic reasons for dealing
with them: collegiality – for he is an apostle like the others – and his
priestly ministry as evangelizer bringing the Good News to all.
***
Many a time, our best ideas come about out of a desperate situation. It takes an urgency to get us to try out ideas that we may not have even thought of before. Such was the case with the steward in today's gospel parable. It might sound rather confusing to us that that master praised the dishonest steward for his astuteness. But the point here is not about the steward's dishonesty but his astuteness.
Jesus is focusing on the urgency and energy with which a worldly man secures his future at a time of reckoning. And He even urged that we, the children of the light, should learn from that, and ensure that our own future is not in jeopardy. We must not be dishonest or immoral; in fact, we are called to be upright and moral especially when we are faced with so much temptation to enter into the dark side.
But we are children of the light. We must believe that the
light will prevail and scatter the darkness. Then the truth of each person will
be revealed.
***
The steward in the Gospel of today is dishonest and loses
his job as a consequence. The loss of his job makes him think wisely and plan
accurately for the future by renewing and strengthening his relationships. The
master praises the steward’s astuteness. The parable firstly reminds us that we
are not ‘owners’ of anything, even of our own lives, but only ‘stewards’; God is
the sole owner. Secondly, as stewards, we are accountable to the master.
Thirdly, we must use all our skills, talents, abilities and resources to build
up the Kingdom of God.
***
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, 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.
***
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
