“The master commended that dishonest steward for acting prudently.” (Lk 16:8)
FIRST READING - PHIL 3:17—4:1
A reading from the Letter of St. Paul to the Philippians
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 savior, 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.
GOSPEL OF THE DAY - LK 16:1-8
From the Gospel according to Luke
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.”
FRIDAY OF THE THIRTY-FIRST WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME - Gospel (Lk 16:1-8)
THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE
Dear People of God,
The Word of God in today's Gospel tells the story of the dishonest steward. He squandered his master's property, so his master removed him from his position as steward.
Therefore, he was worried about his life after losing his position, so he acted wisely by using dishonest money as a means to help others, hoping that after he lost his position, someone would help him.
Through the story of the dishonest steward, God wants to teach His disciples and everyone to learn to take advantage of every opportunity and every means to do good deeds to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.
He does not want humans to fall into Satan's temptations, to be obscured by them, to not be able to recognize God's image of love, and not be able to acknowledge the sins we have committed to correct them.
He wants humanity to always recognize ourselves as sinful, weak, and lowly before God, to always trust and rely on His mercy, and to be determined to live and act according to His teachings. This is the opportunity that God gives to humankind in today's world.
Today's Word of God teaches humanity to be wise in living according to God's teachings; because while still living on earth, there is still the opportunity to do good deeds, to enter and enjoy the happiness of the Kingdom of Heaven.
God does not want mankind to fall into Satan's traps and temptations of money, position, fame, and power on earth; because they will drag humans out of God's loving arms.
He calls on humanity to stand up! Continue to walk on the path that God has walked; that is the path of holiness, the path of righteousness, the path of absolute trust, and confidence in God's love and mercy, and always turn our hearts towards eternal life in the hereafter.
If we do not aim for eternal life in the afterlife, we today can easily fall into a life of enjoyment, living in the passion for wealth and material things in this world.
Thus, when God suddenly comes to call us out of this world, if we do not have anything to prepare our souls to appear before God, how can we enjoy everlasting happiness in the Kingdom of Heaven?
In addition, God calls us to always have a love for God above all things, to fulfill the duties He has given us; never do wrong to His will, because when we do wrong to His will and are not awake, God will come unexpectedly like a thief, at that time we will no longer have the opportunity, no longer have the time to prepare for where our souls will go.
Therefore, through the story of the dishonest steward today, God calls everyone to live wisely and to use the material wealth that God gives as a means to share and help others.
Do not worship, do not put money and material wealth above or on par with God; for they are only things that pass away quickly.
God does not want humanity to become dependent on and addicted to the wealth and material things in this world.
We only use them as a means to serve one another, to help us to know how to share, to know how to give, to do charitable work to please God, and to buy happiness in the Kingdom of Heaven.
Thanks be to God. Amen.
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