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The life that Jesus offers is but one of many forms and we will have to try them and be disappointed by them. We will come to His ways and to Him personally with many experiences of frustration, abandonment, and emptiness. We pay tribute to the Giver by our desire to distribute all that we have, including our gifted selves.

The 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Amos 8:4-7

Psalm 113:1-2, 4-6, 7-8

1 Timothy 2:1-8

L uke 16:1-13 He also said to the disciples, "There was a rich man who had a steward, and charges were brought to him that this man was wasting his goods. (2) And he called him and said to him, `What is this that I hear about you? Turn in the account of your stewardship, for you can no longer be steward.' (3) And the steward said to himself, `What shall I do, since my master is taking the stewardship away from me? I am not strong enough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg. (4) I have decided what to do, so that people may receive me into their houses when I am put out of the stewardship.' (5) So, summoning his master's debtors one by one, he said to the first, `How much do you owe my master?' (6) He said, `A hundred measures of oil.' And he said to him, `Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.' (7) Then he said to another, `And how much do you owe?' He said, `A hundred measures of wheat.' He said to him, `Take your bill, and write eighty.' (8) The master commended the dishonest steward for his shrewdness; for the sons of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than the sons of light. (9) And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous mammon, so that when it fails they may receive you into the eternal habitations. (10) "He who is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much; and he who is dishonest in a very little is dishonest also in much. (11) If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will entrust to you the true riches? (12) And if you have not been faithful in that which is another's, who will give you that which is your own? (13) No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon."

Meditation by Larry Gillick, S.J.

L ast month I had a single heart by-pass which went very well - thank God and the doctor. The recovery time gave me plenty of mind-space to reflect on the shortness of life and those kind of things. Of all the surprises though my experience of myself at the Rehab Center took the cake.

I have been going three times a week and from the very beginning and even today, I find myself not wanting to associate with all those “others” on the treadmills and bikes. It has been all quite embarrassing not wanting to be “old” or “out-of-shape”. I have been a jogger for over thirty years and took the right medicines and was careful about eating healthy things. Now I am just like “others”. I smile as I write this, because it is so silly, but real. I would wish the Spiritual Life could raise me above being like, well, you and them.

The Eucharist is the continuation of the Divine embrace of all that is human in us, even that which we would rather not admit. The Spiritual Life is the way we live with the physical, emotional, psychological self and the Eucharist embeds itself right there. I would like to be above the human condition often. Jesus came to that very condition to stay there and is urging us to stay there as well. There is more going on at the Cardiac Rehab Center for me than the nurses suspect. My heart and soul are getting reacquainted. We can prepare for the Eucharist by being honest about our personal and communal condition.  

REFLECTION

The prophet Amos has had four visions granted him by God concerning Israel . A swarm of locusts, a drought, a measuring plumb-line and the one which opens the chapter from which our First Reading comes, a basket of fruit. All four visions indicate that Israel has not been faithful to their relationship with God. They literally do not measure up. The fruit in the basket is rotten and God means to punish Israel .

Amos has been announcing their crooked ways and has been charged not to speak any further. Of course he has to, because the Word is in him. What we hear is such a denunciation of the unjust business practices of the times. When Amos had pleaded with God not to send pestilence upon the people, God had relented, but through the preaching of Amos, things have not improved. What we hear today is another warning to those practicing crooked dealings. Amos mimics their usual complaints, “When will the Sabbath be over, the celebration of the new moon so we can get back to work.” There are corners to be cut, the cheating to be extended.

Then Amos speaks for God that God will remember every little cheating corner they have done. Amos is no longer going to try to argue God out of the divine plan as pictured in the visions, but he will not discontinue his prophetic warnings.

The Gospel continues Luke’s challenging of those who are greedy and centered on wealth. We hear first a parable which does need some study for understanding. A trusted servant has betrayed his master and not dealt well with the master’s property. He is summoned and his job is terminated. He reflects that he is in bad shape in terms of the future. He makes little deals with his fellow servants by which He asks various fellow servants how much they owe the master. He tells them to consider the debt officially much less. In this way he makes good friends with these fellow servants who in turn will remember him in the days of need ahead. The master, upon finding out about this, commends the trickiness of the servant which he says is prudent.

Jesus finishes the parable and then says something seemingly a bit crooked too. He affirms that the sinful people of this generation are more prudent in their usual dealings, than are the “children of light.” Then Jesus says that all should make friends with wealth, because it will fail in the long run and the resulting wisdom will lead to the eternal dwelling. The Gospel closes with proverb-like sayings about those who are faithful with the smaller things will be trusted with the larger and the opposite is true as well. These sayings, while oh so true, are not as confusing as the larger portion of the reading for today.

Money, when it is not our master, can do great and wonderful things. The “children of light” are those who try to live toward the good, the Light. As children of the light we are invited to be prudent about what is important ultimately to us as those who are of “this generation”, who like the unworthy servant, are prudent for what they think is the “long term”.

This is not an easy parable, but it does fit into Luke’s basic theme of living wisely with the gifts the Giver or Lord has given us. “Wisely” for Luke has to do more with our distribution of wealth than its accumulation. The steward was unwise in his use of the master’s wealth. He was wise, according to Jesus, by making friends with the master’s other servants by reducing their debts. A good question might be asked here. Did the steward cheat his master by this reduction, or did he reduce their debt by the exact amount his master was owing him? Whatever was going on, Jesus reflecting on the story reminds His followers to try to make life-long friends with wealth, because when they do, they will find out how short-lived that friendship really is. 

I would like to think that Jesus well knew the lust for identity through wealth that was in the hearts of His followers. He is telling them and us to try to find peace and true life by making money a permanent deity. The life that Jesus offers is but one of many forms and we will have to try them and be disappointed by them. We will come to His ways and to Him personally with many experiences of frustration, abandonment, and emptiness. We pay tribute to the Giver by our desire to dis-tribute all that we have, including our gifted selves.

“You have laid down your precepts to be faithfully kept. May my footsteps be firm in keeping your commands.” Ps. 119 4-5

Supplementary Reading

Beyond Your Expectations

When You came down long ago, You did awesome deeds beyond our highest expectations… - Isaiah 64:3-4

G od wants to exceed your highest expectations! He wants to bless you and increase you. He wants to make you more effective in your job, relationships and everything you set your hand to. The key is to expect to see His goodness. So many people today have misplaced expectations because they look to the news, the economy or other people to set the tone for their day. One thing I've learned in life is that if you expect the worst, you won't be disappointed. But if you expect to see God's goodness, you won't be disappointed, either.

Today set your expectations on God. Focus your heart and mind on Him. Meditate on His Word and sing a song of praise. As you do, you'll see His goodness, and He will do awesome deeds beyond your highest expectations!

Heavenly Father, today I set my expectations on You! I lift my eyes to You because You are the source of my help. Thank You for filling me with Your peace and joy as I keep my hope and expectations in You. In Jesus' Name. Amen. – Joel & Victoria Osteen

GOD BLESS US ALL!

O Theos Na Mas Evlogisi!
PRAY as if everything depended on HIM. ACT as if everything depended on YOU.

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