is your bill. Sit down quickly and write fifty.’ To the second debtor he put the same question, ‘How much do you owe?’ The answer was, ‘A hundred measures of wheat.’ Then the steward said, ‘Take your bill and write eighty.’The master commended the dishonest steward for his astuteness: for the people of this world are more astute, in dealing with their own kind, than are the people of light. And so I tell you: use fi thy money to make friends for yourselves, so that, when it fails, these people may welcome you into the eternal homes.Whoever can be trusted in little things can also be trusted in great ones; whoever is dishonest in slight matters will also be dishonest in greater ones. So if you have been dishonest in handling filthy money, who would entrust you with true wealth? And if you have been dishonest with things that are not really yours, who will give you that wealth which is truly your own?No servant can serve two masters. Either he does not like the one and is fond of the other, or he regards one highly and the other with contempt. You cannot giveyourself both to God and to Money.”
Lectio Divina
READ: The prophet Amos exposes the ways of those who take advantage of the needy and the weak. Writing to Timothy, Paul says that good deeds are pleasing to God and need to be done for others. Examples of which are petitions, prayers, inter- cessions and thanksgiving. In the parable, Jesus praises the steward for having dealt with his termination astutely.
REFLECT: In response to the decision of the rich man to ter- minate him, the steward acted astutely: he cancelled out the extra markup he had added (for himself) to the rich man’s profit in order to win the favor of each debtor. What is remar- kable about his action is that he gave away, after coming to his senses (with emphasis), the money intended for him. He realized the impending con- sequences of his dismissal: he will have to work hard in spite of physical inability; and, he will have to beg. He could not imagine himself doing these. The realization and actions of the astute steward are worth relating to our day-to-day living. That which corrupts the human heart, we may give up; and, that which could be very helpful to others, we may also give away. It wise when we act based on authentic values and not on mere satisfaction.
PRAY: Lord, grant us the wisdom to determine what is truly good and valuable. And give us the courage to give up those things that do not promote your reign of love, justice and mercy.
ACT: Practice giving up little things so that we may be pre- pared to give up big things.
© Copyright Bible Diary 2019
