Bible
Study: Amos 8, 4 to 7. 1st
Timothy 2, 1 to 8 and Luke 16, 1 to 13.
Last
Sunday, we saw the extent and power of God’s mercy in the three stories of the
lost coin, the lost sheep and the prodigal son. These stories were told by
Jesus in reaction to the Scribes and Pharisees who felt Jesus was bringing
himself too low to eat with those they considered to be sinners.
Our attitude towards sinners should not be that of condemnation but
mercy and we should pray for sinners just like Moses did on behalf of the
Nation of Israel. This call for prayer is even re-echoed today in our second
reading, this time around not just for sinners but for our leaders; our chiefs,
traditional rulers and especially government officials. Let us reframe from
condemning our leaders and start praying instead.
Today, Jesus continues his storytelling and uses this interesting
vehicle of communication to pass across another deep teaching not only about
God’s mercy but also about our love for material riches. The parable of the
dishonest steward clearly shows that there would surely be a day of reckoning
when we shall give an account of our service to God. That God is merciful does
not mean that we would not face punishment for our sins. The day of dismissal
surely waits for everyone who is dishonest.
However, like the dishonest steward who acted wisely
in anticipation of the day of dismissal, Jesus is calling me to act wisely as
well in anticipation of judgment day. Jesus is not recommending dishonesty
neither is he saying I should connive with people to dupe my master. The
emphasis of Jesus in this parable is that rather than relax, I should do
something to save myself from going to hell.
And what
exactly is Jesus asking me to do in other that judgement day would be sweet?
First of
all, Jesus wants me to realize that everything I have, all my money, all my
riches, my possessions and all my earthly goods do not really belong to me. I
am a mere steward of everything written in my name. As Job would say: “Naked I
came from my mother’s womb and naked I shall return.” Job 1, 21.
Having
accepted the fact that I am just a mere steward of my possessions, Jesus is
asking me today to be faithful in my stewardship. As a steward, my job is to
use these possessions I have been given to better the lot of my neighbours. And
you may ask, who are my neighbours? To this question, Jesus would respond by
giving us the story of the Good Samaritan.
(Luke 10, 25 to 37). My neighbour is any human being I meet who is down,
any human being who is in need, any human being who is poor, hungry, homeless
or beaten by the challenges of life.
My
faithfulness as a steward is calculated by the extent to which I help others
with these riches that only appear to be mine but do not belong to me. And if I
fail to use that which is not mine, Jesus warns that no one will entrust me
with what is mine. If I fail to help the poor and needy, if I behave like the
people the prophet Amos is referring to in the first reading, if I buy the poor
for silver and the needy for a pair of sandals, if I cheat in my business and
thereby make the poor poorer, woe betides me because on judgment day, no one
will give me true riches.
Again I
must bear in mind that everything I think I have right now is just nothing, it
is ordinary mammon, that nice car, that 7star mansion, all the gold and silver
in the world are just mammon. They are not true riches because they do not last.
But the way I use them will determine if I would get true riches.
As Jesus
says, “he who is faithful in very little is faithful also in much; and he who
is dishonest in a very little is dishonest also in much. If you then have not
been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will entrust you with true riches?”
If I cannot share with the poor, if I treat people as if they are rags, if all
I care about is me, me and me, then I have failed in my stewardship and I cannot
be entrusted with true riches.
But I ask
myself: Why is it that I find it very difficult to give freely to my neighbour
when I see he or she is in dire need of help? The answer is simple; I worship
money. Yes, it is because I worship money that I am not a faithful steward. I
respect money too much that giving it away is like tearing my skin off. I am so
tight-fisted because I believe that the more money I have, the more secure my life
would be. I find it hard to give even to those in dire need because I trust in
my riches more than I trust in God.
Jesus
makes a very clear point; “You cannot serve both God and mammon.” If it is
truly God I serve, then helping the poor would not be an issue. If it is truly
God I serve, then I would easily let go and not be so anxious about increasing
my wealth. If it is God I serve, then I would know that I am only a steward and
that all my possessions as well as all I crave for on earth are mere mammon.
Let us
Pray: Lord God, deepen our love for you and for our neighbour that we may serve
you by sharing our goods with the poor. Amen.
Good morning.
Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you.
Happy Sunday.
Fr. Abu
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