Word to the Wise
Friday, November 4, 2016 - Friday in the 31th Week in Ordinary Time
[Phil 3:17-4:1 and Luke 16:1-8]FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2016. ST. CHARLES BORROMEO [Philippians 3:17 - 4:1 and Luke 16:1-8] "For the children of this world are more prudent in dealing with their own generation than the children of light." The. Parable of the Dishonest Steward upsets some folks. It would appear that Jesus is commending the steward for dishonest behavior. One interpretation (the one in my Bible) says that all this steward did was to give up his usurious commission and that the Master lost nothing of what was owed. Maybe so. In any case, what Jesus is commending is the clever strategy of making friends with wealth so that when the wealth is gone there will be some personal resources available. This fits in with other parables such as the Rich Man and Lazarus and the Rich Fool (who built bigger barns instead of sharing). They refused to share. The steward, by not charging his commission, "shared" his wealth with the debtors. The insistent question is: "What do we do with what we have?" Are we showing the "prudence" of the dishonest steward by acting with regard to an ultimate end? How does any material possession help us to be better Christians? The Gospel of Luke clearly says that it is only in sharing our material goods that we ultimately gain what is important. - "growing rich in what matters to God." Jesus urges the children of the light to show better sense than even a clever rogue! AMEN