September
18, 2016
25th
Sunday in OT
Amos
8:4-7; 1 Tim 2:1-8; Luke 16:1-13
Last month,
Forbes magazine named the 50 richest Filipinos for the year 2016. First on the
list is Henry Sy, the famous owner of SM malls. He topped the list for the
ninth consecutive year. A friend once told me that Henry Sy started his
business by selling shoes. Who could have thought that this shoe vendor would
become one of the richest and successful businessman in the country?
Experience tells
us that being successful does not happen overnight. It often starts with small
beginnings. Jesus tells us in the gospel “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.” This invitation to be a trustworthy and good
steward is the theme of our readings today. How can we become good and
trustworthy stewards? What is our role as stewards?
Let
us reflect on this in three points:
A
GOOD STEWARD IS LOYAL TO THE REAL MASTER. Who is the real master?
Jesus says in the gospel, “You cannot serve both God and mammon.” Serve the real master who is God. When we
serve God, we will use mammon or the resources of earth, as a means to serve
God. It cannot be the other way around. It cannot be that we worship money and
manipulate God to justify ourselves. Loyalty and fidelity to God will give us
the right perspective in utilizing the resources and wealth of the earth to
serve Him. Serve God above all else. Be loyal to the Real Master for this is a
mark of a good steward.
A
GOOD STEWARD CARES FOR ALL PEOPLE. The prophet Amos in the first reading
gives us an example of what happens to us when we worship mammon rather than
God: People were planning to steal and cheat from the poor people. They will
fix their weighing scales. They will sell low quality products and charge
buyers with high prices. Because of these practices, God will be angry at the
way how people manipulate and misuse created goods.
That is why in
the second reading, Paul invites us to pray for all especially to those in
authorities so that we will not end up like the Israelites in the first
reading. Paul gives us a model of a good
steward in the person of Jesus. He was not selfish. Jesus cared for all people.
He gave everything out of love for others. This must also be our prayer for all
people especially to our leaders that we may become good stewards who will look
after the common good of all.
A
GOOD STEWARD IS RESOURCEFUL. At first reading we might have an impression
in the gospel that Jesus is praising the example of the dishonest manager. We
need to clarify that Jesus is not extolling here dishonesty. Jesus rather
commends the attitude of resourcefulness and foresight of the manager. When the manager saw that his term of office
is about to end. He immediately found ways how to resolve his problem. Jesus is
like telling us that if people of this world are resourceful and clever, then
we who follow Christ must also be more resourceful and clever for this is a
mark of a good steward.
My dear friends
in this mass let us make our commitment to be good stewards by being loyal to
the Real Master, having concern for all people and by being resourceful in
using our talents to serve the Lord.
Amen.
