Word to the Wise
Friday, November 10, 2006 - St. Leo the Great, Pope
[Philippians 3:17-4:1 and Luke 16:1-8]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.
There's no question that the steward in this story was guilty of "squandering" property. He becomes one of those "rogues" that appear in storytelling from time to time who are appealing because they're crafty. This guy not only made friends with the people who owed him money, but he made his former boss look good as well. So, the rogue has friends waiting on him and the Master can't be too angry at all the esteem he's getting from those reduced contracts. In essence, the Dishonest Steward is a sort of Robin Hood! A modern parallel might be an employee who steals money from the company and donates it to a popular charity! His conduct is part of a broader embezzlement, but he's a hero to the charity and he makes the company look good! Is Jesus approving of the rogue? In storytelling, the point of a story is not always the goodness or badness of individual conduct of the characters but the "moral" or "wisdom" to be gained. In this story, Luke, who is very concerned with the impact of material possessions on Christian discipleship uses an example from the world of business to exhort the "children of light." If only the "children of light" were as astute in their pursuit of the mission as the world was in its own. Indeed, modern church administration often adopts the organizational and financial practices of the business world. The two "missions" are very different, however. Jesus simply wishes that the same wisdom and astuteness shown by the Dishonest Steward were matched by the Children of the Light in pursuit of the gospel goals. AMEN
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