The only riches we take from this world are those we have given away.

 
Reading: The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly…Luke 16:8a
 
Good morning, happy Friday, and many blessings my dear family.
 
In today’s Gospel, Luke 16:1-8, Jesus has another parable for his disciples. It is the story of the rich man and his steward. Someone in the rich man’s household reported to the master that his steward had been squandering his money. Naturally the master immediately calls this servant in and asks to see a list of his expenses and the monies that he had spent.

The servant panics. He didn’t expect to get caught. Now what was he to do? Notice: he was not repentant. He simply wanted to ensure his future. He didn’t have the skills to become a laborer and he didn’t want to end up on the street. So, the servant devised a plan. He calls in each of the master’s debtors and reduces the amount of money that they owed his master.

What is unbelievable is the master’s reaction when he discovers the steward’s dishonesty. Instead of firing the man or putting him in prison, he commends the steward for acting prudently. In today’s world, I doubt that this is how an employer would respond. It is more likely that the steward at the very least would find themselves out of a job or perhaps find themselves in jail!

Jesus tells us of someone who, having acted unjustly and having being exposed by his employer went to great trouble to make friends of his master’s debtors, by forgoing his commission on the debts. In this way, he provided for the lean days ahead.
 
Jesus makes the point that we too should take stock of how we stand with God. We too have our weaknesses, perhaps, at times, squandering our God-given gifts. In the end, our God is a God of compassion on whom we depend for forgiveness. At times in our lives, we find ourselves in a difficult and frightening situation. At these times do we turn to God? Do we trust God to give us another chance? The gift is: God always gives us another chance! Our part is to trust that God will never leave us!
 
This is my prayer for today: God, you are telling me to be cute, by using wisely whatever wealth I have. Having money is a responsibility. I can use it selfishly, or with a sensitivity to others’ needs. God gave us temporal things to use. My wealth consists not in what I keep but in what I gave away. You will judge me by how I use the things of which I am only a steward. The only riches we take from this world are those we have given away.
 
Blessings,
 
Fr. Luis+