Readings & Reflections with Cardinal Tagle’s Video: Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time C & St. Lorenzo Ruiz & Companions, September 22,2019

The cruelty of the treacherous people of the first reading who cannot wait for the chance to “buy the lowly for silver and the poor for a pair of sandals” is almost too much to bear. And yet, all of us would fall prey to the lure of such ruthlessness if we did not love and serve the one Master, Jesus Christ, “who gave himself as ransom for all.” Probably the first time that those cold-hearted merchants “fixed their scales for cheating” it seemed to them like a very small matter. But “the person who is dishonest in very small matters is also dishonest in great ones.” The choice offered to our freedom in every moment counts. “God our Savior wills everyone to come to knowledge of the truth.” With hands lifted up in holy prayer, we become those trustworthy people to whom God entrusts great things.

AMDG+

Opening Prayer

“Lord, all that I have is a gift from you. May I love you freely and generously with all that I possess. Help me to be a wise and faithful steward of my time, finances, and possessions. May I regard all that I have as yours. Free from greed and possessiveness and fill me with generosity in giving liberally to others, especially those in need, and to the work of the gospel.” Amen.

Reading 1
Am 8:4-7 – Against those who buy the poor for money.

Hear this, you who trample upon the needy
and destroy the poor of the land!
“When will the new moon be over,” you ask,
“that we may sell our grain,
and the sabbath, that we may display the wheat?
We will diminish the ephah,
add to the shekel,
and fix our scales for cheating!
We will buy the lowly for silver,
and the poor for a pair of sandals;
even the refuse of the wheat we will sell!”
The LORD has sworn by the pride of Jacob:
Never will I forget a thing they have done!

The word of the Lord.

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 113:1-2, 4-6, 7-8
R. (cf. 1a, 7b) Praise the Lord who lifts up the poor.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Praise, you servants of the LORD,
praise the name of the LORD.
Blessed be the name of the LORD
both now and forever.
R. Praise the Lord who lifts up the poor.
or:
R. Alleluia.

High above all nations is the LORD;
above the heavens is his glory.
Who is like the LORD, our God, who is enthroned on high
and looks upon the heavens and the earth below?
R. Praise the Lord who lifts up the poor.
or:
R. Alleluia.

He raises up the lowly from the dust;
from the dunghill he lifts up the poor
to seat them with princes,
with the princes of his own people.
R. Praise the Lord who lifts up the poor.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Reading II
1 Tm 2:1-8 – Let prayers be offered for everyone to God who wills everyone to be saved.

Beloved:
First of all, I ask that supplications, prayers,
petitions, and thanksgivings be offered for everyone,
for kings and for all in authority,
that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life
in all devotion and dignity.
This is good and pleasing to God our savior,
who wills everyone to be saved
and to come to knowledge of the truth.
For there is one God.
There is also one mediator between God and men,
the man Christ Jesus,
who gave himself as ransom for all.
This was the testimony at the proper time.
For this I was appointed preacher and apostle
— I am speaking the truth, I am not lying —,
teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.

It is my wish, then, that in every place the men should pray,
lifting up holy hands, without anger or argument.
The word of the Lord.

Gospel
Lk 16:1-13 – You cannot serve both God and mammon.

Bishop Robert Barron’s Homily: A warning bell in the night click below: 

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 the steward said, ‘And you, how much do you owe?’
He replied, ‘One hundred kors of wheat.’
The steward 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 are the children of light.
I tell you, make friends for yourselves with dishonest wealth,
so that when it fails, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.
The person who is trustworthy in very small matters
is also trustworthy in great ones;
and the person who is dishonest in very small matters
is also dishonest in great ones.
If, therefore, you are not trustworthy with dishonest wealth,
who will trust you with true wealth?
If you are not trustworthy with what belongs to another,
who will give you what is yours?
No servant can serve two masters.
He will either hate one and love the other,
or be devoted to one and despise the other.
You cannot serve both God and mammon.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

Reflection 1 – Prudent stewards

Dr. Scott Hahn’s reflection click below: 

The steward in today’s Gospel confronts the reality that he can’t go on living the way he has been. He is under judgment, must give account for what he has done.

The exploiters of the poor in today’s First Reading are also about to be pulled down, thrust from their stations (see Isaiah 22:19). Servants of mammon or money, they’re so in love with wealth that they reduce the poor to objects, despise the new moons and Sabbaths—the observances and holy days of God (see Leviticus 23:24; Exodus 20:8).

Their only hope is to follow the steward’s path. He is no model of repentance. But he makes a prudent calculation—to use his last hours in charge of his master’s property to show mercy to others, to relieve their debts.

He is a child of this world, driven by a purely selfish motive—to make friends and be welcomed into the homes of his master’s debtors. Yet his prudence is commended as an example to us, the children of light (see 1 Thessalonians 5:5;Ephesians 5:8). We too must realize, as the steward does, that what we have is not honestly ours, but what in truth belongs to another, our Master.

All the mammon in the world could not have paid the debt we owe our Master. So He paid it for us, gave His life as a ransom for all, as we hear in today’s Epistle.

God wants everyone to be saved, even kings and princes, even the lovers of money (see Luke 16:14). But we cannot serve two Masters. By his grace, we should choose to be, as we sing in today’s Psalm—”servants of the Lord.”

We serve Him by using what He has entrusted us with to give alms, to lift the lowly from the dust and dunghills of this world. By this we will gain what is ours, be welcomed into eternal dwellings, the many mansions of the Father’s house (see John 14:2). – Read the source: https://stpaulcenter.com/reflections/prudent-stewards-scott-hahn-reflects-on-the-25th-sunday-in-ordinary-time

Reflection 2 – “You cannot serve both God and mammon.”

Serving God and mammon will never meet. They contradict each other as each motivates man to make totally different choices. Serving mammon makes one opt for what is tangible, what is pleasurable and satisfying to the senses. Choosing to serve the world can only gratify one’s ego and can make one believe that he can do it on his own without God at his side. It will never satisfy and will only drive one to endlessly hope and work for more and more.

Serving the world will never form a man’s character to be Christ-like but instead will allow greed, avarice and lust to breed and be deeply imbedded in one’s heart. Serving the world and making it our master can only lead to corruption and even total destruction. Being committed to money, power, influence and wealth makes the world more real than the promises we have in our Lord.

Every man must make a choice between commitment to the world and commitment to God. Money, wealth, power and influence which the world affords every man has no true and distinct value and should only be used as instruments to lead all of us to our next life, to win souls for our Lord and form friendships that will endure throughout eternity. We should look at them as special gifts and blessings poured on to us by God so that we may achieve the life He has waiting for all of us in His heavenly kingdom. In no way shall we treat them as an end as we only have one Lord and Master and that is our God.

We are all God’s steward in His vineyard duly entrusted with His blessings and we are all expected to put them into good use. To faithfully serve God, we should be able to show Him how we used them for the glory and expansion of His kingdom.

Bigger things from the Lord await those who can be entrusted with little things like money for God will entrust with them the elusive wealth which will truly be lasting.

As we all journey back to our Father let us remember what Jesus said: “No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other or be attentive to the one and despise the other. You cannot give yourself to God and money.”

As we make our choices in life, lets us ask God for guidance and wisdom. Let us choose Christ and be loyal to Him and to those who are able to strengthen us in the gospel. Let us ask Him to give us the strength to align ourselves with what is right and acceptable no matter how difficult it could be. Let us preach God’s Word and proclaim it to the ends of the earth! “To him, the God who alone is wise, may glory be given through Jesus Christ unto endless ages. Amen.

Choose to Serve and Love God by serving and loving His people-not the world!

Direction

Give yourself only to God and no on else by being a good steward.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, allow me not to seek the world for selfish gain but enable me to properly use the world and its benefits for your glory. In Jesus, I pray. Amen.

Reflection 3 – A Dose of Their Own Medicine

I was in the grocery one time looking for my favorite green tea. I was surprised to see on the shelf a new product called “Honest Tea”. It appears harmless but it sounds deceiving. Anybody who hears that name would think that the virtue of honesty is now for sale in the grocery. Definitely, this is a clever marketing ploy. But this also reveals how the worldly people are using and taking advantage of the spiritual values in the pursuit and advancement of their goals and agenda. Let me cite a few more examples. We use Abba to call God our Father, but the music industry used it as the name of that famous singing and swinging group. We address the Blessed Virgin as Madonna, but it is the name of a rock star. The cross is the symbol of our faith, but is now used merely as bodily decoration in rock concerts. Trust is a Christian virtue, but it is the brand name of a condom. And of course, love, the only word that is used to describe God, has practically lost its true meaning. All these are part of the devil’s plan to secularize the sacred and trivialize the true faith.

Sacred realities are being used for secular purposes. How many times have we heard about a church where rock concerts were held? Have you heard Gregorian chant mixed into heavy metal rock music? How often did we witness the sacred Host, because of the common practice of Communion-in-the-hand, being subjected to profanation and desecration? We know of many instances when the sacred Host is taken home as souvenir, or as talisman or amulet for fighting cocks, or used in satanic cults.

The world is making use of the sacred and spiritual realities to further the agenda of the worldly people and the devil. Are we not going to do something about it? Have we ever thought of giving them a dose of their own medicine? Is it possible to make use of the worldly for the advantage of the sacred? Doing nothing would just confirm what our Lord said: “For the children of this world are more astute in dealing with their own kind than are the children of the light.”

A gambling syndicate offered a huge amount of money to a poor parish. Surprisingly, the priest accepted the donation. The people were curious as to what the priest will do with the money. In fact, many of them were scandalized that he accepted the donation. During his homily that Sunday, the priest showed the money to the people and said, “My dear parishioners, this money comes from gambling. This is dirty money. It is the money of the devil. But we are going to punish the devil! We will use his money to repair this church and to evangelize people so that sinners will be converted. In short, we are going to punish and destroy the devil with his own money!”

This story may make some people uneasy. But I am not saying that the end justifies the means, and that it is all right to accept donations from dirty sources, for that would be tantamount to condoning or even approving evil deeds. Rather, this is just meant to illustrate how we can get back at the enemy. In the Gospel this Sunday, the master praised the dishonest manager. This may sound strange for Jesus to say this. However, he clarified that this was not for dishonesty that the manager was praised but “for acting prudently” or shrewdly. Knowing that his tenure of stewardship is about to end, he was smart enough to make use of his remaining time in office to gain loyal friends. So Jesus said, “Make friends for yourselves with dishonest wealth so that when it fails, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.” The translation from the New Jerusalem Bible is better: “Use money, tainted as it is, to win you friends, and thus make sure that when it fails you, they will welcome you into eternal dwellings.” That means making use of this world’s goods for eternal salvation, and using temporal things to attain the heavenly rewards. Simply put, it is our way of getting back at the devil in this raging spiritual battle.

The global economic crisis and financial meltdown have sent us a very clear message: economic giants are vulnerable, big banks and financial institutions can crumble, money can be lost in an instant. They will surely fail us, for they are never permanent. And when they are lost, they are totally gone – except those that were spent to serve God by spreading the true faith and by helping the poor and the needy. In short, money and all material resources will never be lost if they are invested in the eternal treasuries of heaven.

How about that? This sounds like the best deal of all times: using the temporal in exchange for the eternal, the worldly things to get the heavenly rewards. This is just a matter of faithful stewardship. If we are trustworthy in administering the passing things of this world, God will also entrust us with the eternal treasures of heaven. The Church is full of saints who showed us that this is certainly true: St. Joseph of Arimathea, St. Helena, St. Henry II, St. Louis IX, St. Elizabeth of Hungary, St. Elizabeth of Portugal, St. Hedwig of Poland, St. Ethelbert of Kent and many others. They were kings, queens, princes and millionaires who used their worldly wealth and power to help the poor and bring people to God. As a result, they have gained the eternal riches of heaven.

Money in itself is not the root of evil; rather, it is love of money. When money is considered as one’s master, that is the cause of so much trouble and misery. Pope St. John Paul II said that: “The greatest misfortune of this age is that people consider money as the highest good.” But when money is used as one’s instrument and servant to help the poor and to worship God, then it becomes a great blessing. Thus the Lord warned us: “You cannot serve both God and mammon.” Let us use money as our servant, and let us serve and worship God as our Lord.

Saint Paul exhorts us: “Whatever you do, work at it with your whole being. Do it for the Lord rather than for men, since you know full well that you will receive an inheritance from him as your reward. Be slaves of Christ the Lord”(Col 3:23-24). This will make us trustworthy stewards of God’s blessings in this world and faithful citizens of His kingdom (Source: Fr. Mike Lagrimas, St. Michael the Archangel Parish, Amsterdam St., Capitol Park Homes, Matandang Balara, Quezon City).

Reflection 4 – Takes initiative on God than money

Do you make use of money and possessions? What’s the point of Jesus in this parable? Jesus’ point was this: here is a man who wants to guarantee his future after he loses his job. He does not just sit around and moan about his fate; he does something to win favor with his boss’ debtors. Jesus in this gospel is not concerned about initiative in business any more but our eternal salvation. More than that, he expects us to work as hard for spiritual values as some people do for financial gain.

The story is told of a man shipwrecked on a lonely, unknown island. To his surprise, he found that he was not alone; a large tribe of people shared his island. To his pleasure, he discovered that they treated him very well. In fact, they placed him on a throne and catered to his every desire. He was delighted but perplexed. Why such royal treatment? As his ability to communicate increased, he discovered that the tribal custom was to choose a king for a year. Then, when his term was finished, he would be transported to a particular island and abandoned. Delight was now replaced by distress. Then he hit on a shrewd plan. Over the next months he sent members of the tribe to clear and till the other island. He had them build a beautiful house, furnish it, and plant crops. He sent some chosen friends to live there and wait for him. Then, when his time of exile came, he was put in a place carefully prepared and full of friends delighted to receive him.

We, as believers are not headed to a desert island but to the Father’s home. Yet the preparations we make here follow us there. If we are shrewd, there will be eternal friends and eternal rewards to greet us. Fools serve money and leave it all behind. Shrewd believers serve God and invest in eternity (cf. Gary Inrig, “Assuring my future”). This is Jesus point in today’s Gospel (Lk 16:1-13) about a man who wants to guarantee his future after he loses his job. He does something to win favor with his boss’ debtors. Jesus in this gospel is concerned about our preparation for eternal salvation than in business. And Jesus expects us to work as hard for spiritual values as some people do for financial gain. How can we improve our spiritual values? St. Paul (1 Tim 2:1-8) suggest two areas in which we should grow spiritually. They are prayer for those who are in need and justice for the poor. The two are closely linked. He recommends our prayer should reflect the broad, expansive nature that include everyone and yet we should have special emphasis on the poor, the downtrodden, and the despised of this world. Prayer must lead to action, in particular the kind of action advocated by Prophet Amos (Am 8:4-7), the prophet of social justice. He condemned those who through their unjust practices “trample upon the needy and destroy the poor of the land,” and admonished those whose only thought was financial gain.

We, as Catholics ought always to be known as the people who take the side of the poor and who are generous in helping them. We are called to be the ones who “make friends for ourselves with the poor through the use of this world’s goods.” We are rightly expected to be the ones whom God can trust with “elusive wealth” because we know how to share it with others. Above all, Catholics should show initiative and enterprise not only in praying for those in need but in reaching out to help them as we can. That will ensure that we have only one master, the great, good and generous Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. For more reflection on Archbishop Fulton Sheen’s Warning of a Crisis in Christendom click this link:  http://www.pagadiandiocese.org/2019/08/13/archbishop-fulton-sheens-warning-of-a-crisis-in-christendom/

“Lord, all that I have is a gift from you. May, I love you freely and generously with all that I possess. Help me to be a wise and faithful steward of my time, finances and possessions. May, I regard all that I have as yours. Free from greed and possessiveness and fill me with generosity in giving liberally to others, especially those in need, and to the work of the gospel.”

Reflection 5 – Who will entrust to you the true riches?

What does wealth and riches have to do with the kingdom of God? Jesus seemed to praise a steward (a manager entrusted with his master’s goods) who misused his wealthy employer’s money. What did the steward do that made Jesus praise him? The steward was responsible for managing his wealthy landowner’s property. The steward very likely overcharged his master’s tenants for their use of the land and kept more than his fair share of the profit. When the landowner discovered the steward’s dishonest practice he immediately removed him from his job, leaving him penniless and ashamed to beg or do manual work.

The necessity of prudent foresight to avert disaster
Before news of his dismissal became public knowledge, the shrewd steward struck a deal with his master’s debtors. In discounting their debts he probably was giving up his generous commission. Such a deal won him great favor with the debtors. Since the steward acted as the landowner’s agent, such a deal made his master look very generous and forgiving towards those who owned him money. Surely everyone would praise such a generous landowner as the town hero! Since the master could not undo the steward’s cancellation of the debts without losing face and making his debtors resent him, he praised the steward for outwitting him and making him appear as a generous and merciful landowner.

Generous giving is rewarded with treasure that lasts forever
What’s the point of Jesus’ parable? Jesus did not praise the steward for his dishonest behavior but for his shrewd foresight in relieving the debts of others who he believed would, in turn, treat him as a friend and show him mercy, kindness, and generosity in his time of need and great want. Jesus immediately followed this parable with an exhortation to his followers to make use of the world’s material goods, including “tainted money” ( which in Hebrew means “unrighteous mammon”), to relieve those who are endebted to us for the material and physical help we give them in their time of need and want. In the Scriptures generous giving is connected with alms giving – the sharing of our financial and material resources with those in need (Luke 12:33). Those who receive alms become your friends because you are merciful to them in their time of need. And God who sees all, rewards those who are generous in helping others.

Generous giving will be repaid in kind. Augustine of Hippo reminds us that we are all beggars of God.

“Even though you possess plenty, you are still poor. You abound in temporal possessions, but you need things eternal. You listen to the needs of a human beggar, you yourself are a beggar of God. What you do with those who beg from you is what God will do with his beggar. You are filled and you are empty. Fill your neighbor from your fullness, so that your emptiness may be filled from God’s fullness” (Sermon 56, 9).

Paul the Apostle reminds us, “We brought nothing into this world and we cannot take anything out of this world” (1 Timothy 6:7). The Lord Jesus wants us to make good use of all the resources that he gives us and that come into our possession. Our life is short – but how we invest in this present life will determine our future in the age to come when the Lord Jesus will raise our mortal bodies to immortality and give to each what he or she has sown in this present life.

The rabbis had a saying, “The rich help the poor in this world, but the poor help the rich in the world to come.” Ambrose, a 4th century bishop commenting on the parable of the rich fool who tore down his barns to build bigger ones to store his goods. said: The bosoms of the poor, the houses of widows, the mouths of children are the barns which last forever. The true treasure which lasts is the treasure stored up for us in heaven. God richly rewards those who give generously from the heart to help those in need.

True generosity does not impoverish – but enriches the giver
What is the enemy of generosity? It’s greed, the excessive desire for personal gain and security. However, we do not need to be afraid for true generosity does not impoverish the giver, but enriches that person a hundredfold! Generosity expands the soul – but greed contracts it. God is generous and superabundant in lavishing his gifts upon us. We can never outmatch God in generosity. He has given us the best of gifts in sending us his only-begotten Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, who offered up his life for us on the cross. The Father also offers us the gift of the Holy Spirit who fills us with the fruit of peace, joy, patience, kindness, love, and self-control (Galatians 5:22) – and many other blessings as well. Everything we have is an outright gift of God. Do you know the joy and freedom of blessing others with the gifts and resources God has given to you?

What controls or rules your life?
Jesus concludes his parable with a lesson on what controls or rules our lives. Who is the master (or ruler) in charge of your life? Our “master” is that which governs our thought-life, shapes our ideals, and controls the desires of the heart and the values we choose to live by. We can be ruled by many different things – the love of money or possessions, the power of position, the glamor of wealth and prestige, the driving force of unruly passions and addictions. Ultimately the choice boils down to two: God and “mammon”. What is mammon? “Mammon” stands for “material wealth or possessions” or whatever tends to “control our appetites and desires.”

When a number of the religious leaders heard Jesus’ parable they reacted with scorn (Luke 16:14). Jesus spoke to the condition of their hearts – they were lovers of money (Luke 16:14). Love of money and wealth crowd out love of God and love of neighbor. Jesus makes clear that our heart must either be possessed by God’s love or our heart will be possessed by the love of something else.

The Lord alone can satisfy our desires and give us generous hearts
There is one Master alone who has the power to set us free from greed and possessiveness. That Master is the Lord Jesus Christ who died to set us free and who rose to give us new abundant life. The Lord Jesus invites us to make him the Master and Lord of our lives. He alone can satisfy the desires of our heart and transform us in his love through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Our money, time, and possessions are precious resources and gifts from God. We can guard them jealously for ourselves alone or allow the love of the Lord to guide us in making good use of them for the benefit of others – especially those in need – and for the work of the Lord in advancing his kingdom. Ask the Lord to fill your heart with a spirit of generosity and joy in sharing what you have with others.

“Lord Jesus, all that I have is a gift from you. May I love you freely and generously with all that I possess. Help me to be a wise and faithful steward of the resources you put at my disposal, including the use of my time, money, and possessions.” – Read the source: http://www.rc.net/wcc/readings/sep18.htm

Reflection 6 – The person who is trustworthy

In my reflection for the Twenty-Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time, I encourage a homily based on prayer using the Wisdom reading. If the preacher did not reflect on prayer at that time, today’s second reading from 1 Timothy provides another opportunity. Or, if the preacher wishes, a second installment on prayer could be preached. Last week’s Wisdom reading offered the opportunity to reflect on what we receive in prayer (knowledge of God’s will) and struggles we face in prayer (distraction). This week, St. Paul lists the various types of prayer, supplications, prayers, petitions, and thanksgivings. He also speaks to the reality that prayer is not restricted to the holy, but everyone has the ability to pray! Some people might be afraid to pray because they have done something in their past which makes them feel unworthy of praying. Dispel this lie of the Evil One! Another reason people might not pray is they do not know how. The simple acronym “ACTS” provides a good model for teaching introductory prayer—adoration, contrition, thanksgiving, and supplication.

Luke’s gospel for this weekend speaks of stewardship. Fr. Michael Schmitz, in his Lighthouse Catholic Media Talk, Beyond Belief: Following Christ Today, argues that many people live as practical atheists. He means that many people believe in God, but they live their lives indifferent to God. He outlines three ways to know if Jesus impacts your life. Just look at your calendar, checkbook, and entertainment and see if Jesus is Lord of your life. In a sense, two of these three criterion hit at the heart of stewardship. Most parishes now use the tagline: stewardship of prayer, service, and sharing.

The rich man asks the steward to “Prepare a full account of your stewardship.” That same task will be asked of us. Two of Fr. Schmitz’s criterion provide an excellent examination of our stewardship. When we look at a calendar, do people know that we are followers of Jesus? Would they know we make time for prayer each day, go to Mass, and attend faith–enriching events?   Do I spend some time each week in serving other people, or the Church? How about our checkbook? If someone looked at our checkbook would they notice charitable giving, not only to the church, but to other worthy organizations as well? Preaching a stewardship homily always benefits the parish because people might develop their prayer life, volunteer their time, or donate money. It helps them, because God calls us to be good stewards of our time and resources. Another aspect of stewardship one could explore would be our stewardship of creation.

Other Possible Preaching Points

• The first reading from the prophet Amos speaks of our care for the poor. This connects to the theme of stewardship expounded on in the gospel.
• In the gospel, Jesus says: “The person who is trustworthy in very small matters is also trustworthy in great ones.” It might be possible to develop a homily based on promises and trust. Promises mean something. When we break promises, we become less trustworthy in the eyes of others.

Recommended Study

Listen to Fr. Michael Schmitz’s talk “Beyond Belief.” Available as a paid download here:https://www.lighthousecatholicmedia.org/store/title/beyond-belief-following-christ-today

Pope Francis, Laudato Si (re: Stewardship of the Environment)

Catechism Aids from Homiletic Directory

CCC 2407-2414: respect for the property of others

CCC 2443-2449: love for the poor

CCC 2635: pray for others’ interest, not just for one’s own

CCC 65-67, 480, 667: Christ our one Mediator

CCC 2113, 2424, 2848: no one can serve two masters

CCC 1900, 2636: intercession for rulers

Read the source: http://www.hprweb.com/2016/08/homilies-for-september-2016/

Reflection 7 – Follow God and live and prosper

There is pretty consistent theme in the writings of the spiritual tradition. It can basically be boiled down to this simple phrase: two ways. To explain what I mean, think back to Moses for a moment. When he was soon to die, he told the Israelites that they could either follow God and live and prosper, or not follow Him and suffer and die. More specifically, he said “See, I have set before you this day life and good, death and evil. . . . I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse; therefore choose life” (Dt 30:15, 19). Two ways: life or death.

Another example can be found in the writings of the early Church. There is a document called the Didache, which is also known as the Teaching of the Twelve Apostles. This is one of the earliest Christian writings we have that is not part of the Bible. It starts off with these words: “There are two ways, one of life and one of death; but a great difference between the two ways” (Chapter 1). Even the modern poet Robert Frost knew this to be true when he said, “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I — I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.” With all this in mind, I would like to take a look at today’s Gospel.

Jesus, while not using the exact phrase “two ways” basically presents the same message when He says, “You cannot serve both God and mammon.” Essentially, He is saying here that either we can follow the way of God or the way of mammon. Now, if you aren’t familiar with the word, “mammon” is not a good thing. Not only is it opposed to God here, but it is a word which can wrap up all of the things of this world that keep us from God — money, power, fame, pleasure—anything which leads us down the other way, down the other path — the one which leads away from God instead of toward Him.

So, Jesus, taking up the “two ways” says basically that we cannot walk both paths. We must choose, because we cannot “serve two masters.” We cannot love God and the things of this world, at least in the same way. God must always come first. And when He does, we end up on the right way, the right path, the path which Moses called life. If, however, we choose anything — ANYTHING — above God, we become idolaters and have placed ourselves firmly on the path of death. St. John put it this way: “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the pride of life, is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world passes away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever” (1 Jn 2:15–17). St. Ignatius of Antioch gives a good example of living this well. As he was on his way to Rome to be martyred, he wrote ahead to the Romans and said: “Do not have Jesus Christ on your lips and the world in your hearts. . . . My earthly desires have been crucified, and there no longer burns in me the love of perishable things, but a living water speaks within me, saying: ‘Come to the Father.’” He had clearly placed mammon aside for love of God, and even death would not make him turn his back on the Father and on Christ.

Perhaps Robert Frost was on to something, then, when he said he chose the “path less traveled.” Our Lord Himself said we must do as much when He described the two paths presented to us today when He said elsewhere that we are to “Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is easy, that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard, that leads to life, and those who find it are few” (Mt 7:13–14). Like the poet, then, we cannot choose the easy path, traveled so often that it is well-paved and easily made. Rather, the Christian, the saint, must choose the hard paths in this world that keep him literally on the “straight and narrow,” so that at the end of the road he will find himself before pearly gates rather than fire and brimstone.

So how are we supposed to stay on the path of the Lord? Two things come immediately to mind. The first is obvious: we must pray, pray, pray! St. Alphonsus Liguori did not mince words in this regard. He said that “whoever prays will surely be saved. Whoever does not pray will surely be damned.” We might think that harsh, but he isn’t wrong! Prayer keeps us in contact with God, it puts us on the righteous path, and helps us direct our lives on that path and in line with God’s Will and Love for us. So how often do you pray? If it is only during Sunday Mass, dear friends, it is not enough. Now I am not saying you must spend 24/7 in the adoration chapel. Not even monks do that. But you must pray regularly and often. A few suggestions: prayers when getting up and going to bed, before and after meals, on the way to and from school or work, an evening family Rosary, a weekly visit to the Blessed Sacrament, just to name a few. You can use set prayers, make your own, read the Bible, gaze at a crucifix. There are so many ways! The important thing is to actually pray! And even to pray that we are on the right path! Consider this week, then, how often (or not) you pray, and seriously consider, individually and with your family, how you will incorporate more prayer into your daily and weekly lives.

The second thing that can help us stay on the path may literally sound morbid, but it is important. We must remember often that each of us, someday, sooner or later — each of us is going to die. We may not like thinking about that but we can’t avoid it. Whether we like it or not, some day will be our last and the path we have been on will come to an end. By remembering that we are going to die, we will live with that in mind, and we will be less likely to choose silly or even sinful things that take us away from the path of life. St. Benedict said that remembering death, or, in his words, “keeping death before our eyes daily,” is one of the “instruments of the spiritual art, which, if they have been applied without ceasing day and night and approved on judgment day, will merit for us from the Lord that reward which He has promised” (Rule, IV). Put simply, remembering death helps us to live! And that both in this life and in the next. With that in mind then, what needs to change about our lives knowing that we will die and will be judged based on what we did before death? That itself could take up many sessions of prayer this week!

My dear friends, there are two paths placed before us today. Two roads diverging in the yellow wood of this life. One leads right to heaven and life. The other down to hell and death. And once we reach the end of the road, there is no turning back. The choice is ours and our souls are on the line. With Moses, then, “I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse; therefore choose life [choose God over mammon, choose the right path], that you and your descendants may live, loving the LORD your God, obeying his voice, and clinging to him; for that means life to you and length of days” (Dt 30:18–19), and eventually, eternal life in heaven forever. Amen! – Read the source: https://www.hprweb.com/2019/08/homilies-for-september-2019/

Reflection 8 – Assuring my future

This parable is a story that has stirred controversy and debate among interpreters. But despite the questions it has raised, it confronts us with an essential truth about life as a disciple. The parable is given first in verses 1-8 and is followed by the Lord’s elaboration of the principles the story is intended to teach.

It is significant that, while the story is addressed to the Lord’s disciples, Luke is careful to observe that the “Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this and were sneering at Jesus.” Clearly what He requires is not a way of life that will appeal to a person who loves money. The gauntlet is thrown down: Serve God or Money. They are two rival gods, and you cannot serve both.

The parable takes us into the world of finance and responsibility. This manager is a steward. That is, he is an employee, perhaps of an absentee landlord, who has been given control over his mater’s business and assets. Clearly, his responsibility is to use this trust to further his master’s interests, not his own. But the temptation to divert funds for his own purposes and pleasures proves too strong. He wastes the money, violating his trust and mishandling his master’s possessions. News of his malfeasance reaches his employer, and, when confronted with the charges of dereliction of duty, the man has no answer to give.

To this point, there is a great similarity to another of the Lord’s stories, the parable of the unforgiving servant (Mt 18). The repetition of these circumstances shows that violation of trust was just as common in the ancient world as it is today. Certainly the man deserves to be fired from his job. But it is important the manager’s precise position after his master’s words: “Give an account of your management, because you cannot be manager any longer.” Modern companies generally tell fired employees to clean out their desks immediately, or they have it done for them. But this man is given a window of opportunity. His dismissal is inevitable, but it is not yet final or public. Until the account is rendered, he has some room for movement. Still, time is short, and immediate action is imperative. He has no time to waste.

It is here that the man’s shrewdness is revealed. He knows his options are limited. He is too weak for manual labor, and he is too proud to beg. Unless he acts quickly, one of those might be his fate. But he knows the adage, “Scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours.” Perhaps he can do favors for a few people, so that they will be beholden to him.

His plan is very simple. He begins to call in his master’s customers and alter their bills. After all, he has managed the accounts and still has legal authority to act on his master’s behalf. “How much do you owe?” “Eight hundred gallons of olive oil.” “Here, rewrite it, put down four hundred gallons and I’ll sign it.” “How much do you owe?” “A thousand bushels of wheat.” “Here, make it eight hundred. I’ll sign it.”

We don’t know enough about first-century business practices to be certain of what is going on here. Some commentators are convinced that the whole business is fraudulent and that he is implicating these people in cheating his boss. That is possible, but since these people would presumably continue to do business with the rich man, it seems rather unlikely. It is more likely that the transaction is subtle and semi-legal. According to Mosaic law, Jewish businessman were not allowed to charge interest to fellow Jews. But that made commercial transactions difficult. So a subterfuge often was followed. When money was loaned, it was illegal to write a bill stating any interest. So the written bills generally showed only one amount, the principal loaned plus the interest and the manager’s fees. This amount was often stated in terms of commodities (oil, wheat), rather than money. In this way, it would appear that the law was being followed.

If this is so, what the steward is probably doing is discounting the face value of the notes by suspending the interest charges. Since these are not legal within the Jewish law, his master has no ground of action against him. Presumably, the debtors would be suspicious of the reasons but would accept the offer gladly. He has therefore ties his master’s hands effectively, stayed within the bounds of legality, and ingratiated himself with people he wants to remember him kindly.

The parable closes with the statement, “The master commended the dishonest manger because he had acted shrewdly.” It is important to see what is and is not said. The master does not say that he is pleased by his steward’s actions, but that he is impressed. The manager has tied the man’s hands and achieved his own ends. The master certainly does not commend the manager’s earlier dishonesty, but, like a defeated athlete commenting wryly on his opponent’s skill and strategy, he feels compelled to acknowledge the man’s success.

Since the word “shrewd” is the key to the story, it is important to consider its meaning carefully. The Greek word means “to act with foresight,” and is illustrated in Jesus’ discourse by the wise man (literally, the shrewd man) who built his house on the rock in anticipation of a coming storm (Mt 7:24). It also describes the five “wise” (shrewd) virgins (Mt 25:1-13), who bring extra oil anticipating future need. This is the dishonest manager’s quality; he acts decisively in the present to position himself for the future. His behavior is consistent with his circumstances. He recognized his crisis and seizes his opportunity because he has his eyes on the future, not just the present. He is astute enough to act with practical cleverness and judgment.

The story is troubling. This man seems to be an unlikely hero. In fact, he is not a hero at all. But in his actions, dubious at they are, we can see a quality demonstrated which disciples require if they are to live effectively in the world. That quality is elaborated in the Lord’s continuing discussion.

THE PRINCIPLES OF SHREWD DISCIPLESHIP (Lk 16:8-13)

A recent trip took me to the jungles of northern Liberia. The simple villages were a long way from civilization as I knew it. I understood why missionaries were there, taking the eternal gospel to needy people. But the products of American business were there as well, sold by store owners who seemed to be everywhere, pursuing commerce. The Lord’s words remind us that this is characteristic of the people of this world. They are shrewd in dealing with temporal things. They see the possibilities and seize the opportunities. They sacrifice present comforts for future prospects.

Sadly, “the people of the light” are often less than shrewd. Unbelievers outpace disciples in their foresight, their ingenuity, and their risk-taking. They study their world, see the opportunities, and seize them, knowing that opportunities missed are usually opportunities lost. Too often, God’s people are lethargic or uncreative or not strategic in their thinking. We spend money, but do not use it well. Our planning is careless; our strategy is simplistic and naïve.

The Lord’s first message is that shrewdness with money can achieve eternal goals. “Use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves.” “Worldly wealth” weakens Jesus’ phrase, which should be translated “the mammon of unrighteousness.” Mammon is an interesting terms that includes not only money but also possessions. The Lord makes it clear that mammon has enormous power. It is not simply neutral. When it is not placed under the authority of Christ, it becomes a rival god and leads to evil. Thus is not simply “worldly wealth” but “unrighteous mammon”

The Lord calls us to recognize the limits of wealth. “So that when it is gone” means literally “when it fails,” a reference to death, not debt. As Paul reminds us, “we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it” (1 Tim 6:7). Shrewdness forces us to recognize that money is powerful but limited, temporary, and temporal. Part of its character is that it will always fail. As Bernard of Clairvaux wrote centuries ago, “Money no more satisfies the hunger of the mind than air supplies the body’s need for bread.” Certainly that is true at the time of death. No one takes it with him.

Shrewdness with money also focuses on how it can be used for eternal purposes. “Gain friends… so that … you will be welcomed by them into eternal dwellings.” Every believer will be welcomed into heaven; not all will have the same number of friends to welcome them. When our money is used to meet the needs of fellow believers and when money is used to spread the gospel, we can be sure that there are eternal consequences. Our gracious Father will reveal to our fellow-saints how our use of money was instrumental in their conversion or in the meeting of their needs. Few experiences are satisfying as to visit an area where you once lived and ministered and to have people line up to tell you of your influence in their lives, much of it totally unrecognized. Imagine that kind of reception in heaven!

The Lord calls us to use money shrewdly for eternal reasons. Yet statistics tell us that as the rate of disposal income, adjusted for inflation, increased 31 percent among members of 31 Protestant denominations between 1968 and 1985, only two percent of that disposal income was given to churches and Christian organizations (Chicago Tribune, July 31,1988). In other words, 98 percent of the increase went to support people’s lifestyles. In a world of escalating needs and exciting opportunities, this is hardly shrewdness with money. Believers also need to live shrewdly – to strategize, plan, and dream, to use ingenuity and creativity. Radical times require radical solutions, as the dishonest manager illustrates. The Lord is not calling us to do business as usual. How can I maximize my money for eternity – this is the question of the shrewd disciple. We must be careful not to spend or give carelessly, sentimentally, or impulsively. The Lord calls us to be hard-nosed, clear-eyed, forward-looking, astute people.

Second, not only can shrewdness with money achieve eternal goals, stewardship of money has eternal consequences (Lk 16:10-12). The principles of stewardship are very simple. First is the main requirement: “It is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful” (1 Cor 4:2). Second is the reward, explained here by the Lord: “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.” Little things are the school of life. As the great missionary Hudson Taylor once observed, “A little thing is a little thing; but faithfulness in a little thing is a great thing.”

Faithfulness with money is primarily an issue of character. A modern biographer explained with a very perceptive comment why he was adding yet another biography to the literature about the Duke of Wellington: “I had an advantage over earlier biographers. I found an old account ledger that showed how the Duke spent his money. It was a far better clue to what he thought was really important than the reading of his letters or speeches.” This is even more true of the account of a disciple.

Shrewdness causes us to view “mammon” in a very interesting way. The parallelism of verses 10-12 equates, “very little”(Lk 8:12), “worldly wealth”(Lk 8:11), and “someone else’s property”(Lk 8:12). At the same time it equates “much”(Lk 8:10), “true riches”(Lk 8:11), and “property of your own”(Lk 8:12). Present wealth, says the Lord, is really a very little thing. In fact, it is not ours at all. We are stewards, not owners. If we use our present possessions as if they really belong to us, not the Lord, we are acting exactly like the dishonest manager. We are owners of nothing, stewards of everything. What we possess is to be used to further the Master’s purposes and goals. The primary value of earthly wealth is that is a school, training us to handle “true riches,” which must refer to the affairs of the kingdom.

Shrewd people, then, use money in the light of eternal consequences. This includes opportunities to serve the Lord Jesus in furthering His purposes on earth as well as the privileges of service we will enjoy in heaven.

Third, the Lord tells us that shrewd disciples recognized that stewardship of money prevents bondage to money. “You cannot serve both God and Money” We can serve God with money; we can never serve God and Money. A choice is inescapable. We can have only one master. Jesus wants us to understand that we do not have the option of being the masters of Mammon. We can be stewards of it or we can be servants of it, but those are our only options. Mammon always strives to take the place of God. The Lord is using a vivid personification in this discussion to force us to recognize the absence of middle ground. Either God owns our wealth or it owns us. As Hendry Fielding once wrote, “Make money your god and it will plague you like the devil.”

We all serve something or someone. There is no partial discipleship to Jesus, and there is no part-time employment by Mammon. We must choose our ultimate loyalty. When we choose the Lord as our sole master, He does not remove our money. In fact, He takes the money and transforms it into an ally. The same dollar that places a bet, pays a prostitute, or purchases “crack” cocaine also buys a Bible, digs a well, or supports a missionary. The same dollar the shrewd manager uses to pave his way into a golden future, a shrewd disciple uses to invest in eternal friendships. But the difference is the product of a choice of masters.

How do we get our money? What do we want to get with our money? When do we give our money? Where should we employ our resources? These are the questions a shrewd disciple asks as he emulates his strange “hero,” a man who acted decisively with his resources in the present to maximize his opportunities in the future.

The story is told of a man shipwrecked on a lonely, unknown island. To his surprise, he found that he was not alone; a large tribe of people shared his island. To his pleasure, he discovered that they treated him very well. In fact, they placed him on a throne and catered to his every desire. He was delighted but perplexed. Why such royal treatment? As his ability to communicate increased, he discovered that the tribal custom was to choose a king for a year. Then, when his term was finished, he would be transported to a particular island and abandoned.

Delight was now replaced by distress. Then he hit on a shrewd plan. Over the next months he sent members of the tribe to clear and till the other island. He had them build a beautiful house, furnish it, and plant crops. He sent some chosen friends to live there and wait for him. Then, when his time of exile came, he was put in a place carefully prepared and full of friends delighted to receive him.

Disciples are not headed to a desert island but to the Father’s home. Yet the preparations we make here follow us there. If we are shrewd, there will be eternal friends and eternal rewards to greet us. Fools serve money and leave it all behind. Shrewd believers serve God and invest in eternity (Source: Gary Inrig, “Assuring My Future” The Parables: Understanding What Jesus Meant. Michigan: Discovery House Publishers, 1991, pp. 107-119).

Reflection 9 – Money Matters

No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. —Luke 16:13

Godfrey Davis, who wrote a biography of the Duke of Wellington, said, “I found an old account ledger that showed how the Duke spent his money. It was a far better clue to what he thought was really important than the reading of his letters or speeches.”

How we handle money reveals much about our priorities. That’s why Jesus often talked about money. One-sixth of the Gospels’ content, including one out of every three parables, touches on stewardship. Jesus wasn’t a fundraiser. He dealt with money matters because money matters. For some of us, though, it matters too much.

Jesus warned that we can become slaves to money. We may not think that money means more to us than God does. But Jesus did not say we must serve God more than we serve money. The issue isn’t what occupies first place in our life, but whether we serve money at all. Pastor and author George Buttrick said, “Of all the masters the soul can choose, there are at last only two—God and money. All choices, however small, however the alternatives may be disguised, are but variants of this choice.”

Does your checkbook show that Jesus is the Master in your life?
— Haddon W. Robinson

If we pursue mere earthly gain,
We choose a path that ends in pain;
But joy and peace are in our soul
When we pursue a heavenly goal. —D. De Haan

For a quick check on your heart, check out your checkbook (Source: Our Daily Bread, RBC Ministries).

Reflection 10 – What’s Your Preoccupation?

No servant can serve two masters . . . .You cannot serve God and mammon. –Luke 16:13

The Lord’s teaching about money in Luke 16 is as up-to-date as today’s newspaper. Some Pharisees listened as Jesus told a parable about an unfaithful steward. He said, “You cannot serve God and mammon.” The Pharisees scoffed at this, for they loved money. Jesus responded, “What is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God” (v.15).

Author Wayne Jacobsen points out that when Jesus used the word abomination, He wasn’t referring to sordid immorality. He was referring to the Pharisees’ preoccupation with temporal possessions—very much the mindset of many today and still detestable to God.

To help us reverse our preoccupation with money, Ken Gire wrote this prayer: “Dear Jesus, help me this day to see with the eyes I will one day be given at death. I see clearly enough now what is highly valued in the sight of men. Give me eyes to see what is highly valued in Your sight.” And what does God highly value? People in need—the poor, the hungry, the homeless, the sick, the lonely, the prisoners (Matthew 25:34-40). Valuing people involves listening, understanding, and meeting their needs.

Are we preoccupied with earthly values or with God’s eternal values?  — Joanie Yoder

I want to do service for Christ while I live,
And comfort and cheer to poor lonely hearts give;
For this is the program approved by the Word,
To visit the needy and speak of the Lord. —Bosch

Hold loosely to what is temporal and tightly to what is eternal (Source: Our Daily Bread, RBC Ministries).

Reflection 11 – Servant or Master?

No servant can serve two masters . . . . You cannot serve God and mammon. –Luke 16:13

An Illinois resident asked his employer for a two-thirds pay cut in order to put his income below the poverty level. He reasoned that by making himself poor he would not have to pay income tax, and therefore he would not have to support military policies he didn’t agree with. This would make him more consistent in practicing his beliefs. A close friend commented, “He has a strong commitment to justice and peace, and I think this is his way of carrying that out.”

I’m not suggesting that we should follow his example, but he is a person who doesn’t want money to divert him from his ideals. He reminds me of Agur, the wise author of Proverbs 30, who expressed concern that too much or too little wealth can get in the way of commitment to God.

So we are left to consider it—money. The Illinois resident gave up part of it. Agur didn’t want too much or too little of it (Proverbs 30:7-9). Jesus used it (John 13:29). Paul could take it or leave it (Philippians 4:11-12). The rich young ruler clung to it (Luke 18:23). Ananias and Sapphira died because they lied to God about it (Acts 5).

What about our relationship to money? Do we use it wisely or does it control us? Is it our servant or our master? We cannot serve both God and money (Luke 16:13).    — Mart De Haan

If money is your highest goal,
The thing you long to gain,
Its power will enslave your soul
And cause your life much pain. —DJD

Money is a good servant, but a poor master (Source: Our Daily Bread, RBC Ministries).

Reflection 12 – God’s economics