“See the Light” by Rev. Paul Berghout (@FatherPB)
Piety
Then the family heads of Judah and Benjamin and the priests and
Levites–everyone, that is, whom God had inspired to do so–prepared to go up to
build the house of the LORD in Jerusalem. All their neighbors gave them help in
every way, with silver, gold, goods, and cattle, and with many precious gifts besides
all their free-will offerings. Ezra 1:5-6
Jesus said to the crowd: “No one who lights a lamp conceals it with a
vessel or sets it under a bed; rather, he places it on a lampstand so that
those who enter may see the light. For there is nothing hidden that will not
become visible and nothing secret that will not be known and come to light. Take
care, then, how you hear. To anyone who has, more will be given, and from the
one who has not, even what he seems to have will be taken away.” Luke 8:16-18
Study
Yesterday, on the Twenty-Fifth Sunday of Ordinary Time, Jesus tells the
parable of the unjust steward who finds out he's been caught squandering his master's
property, and goes out and makes deals to make friends for the future. Jesus
acknowledges the steward's prudence and calls us to have, at the very least,
prudence about our future. “If, therefore, you are not trustworthy with
dishonest wealth, who will trust you with true wealth?”
The dishonest steward probably said to himself, “My commission checks
are getting so big I had to hire an accountant.”
Some say the steward or manager was giving away his commission. Back
then, the invoice had the commission embedded into the costs of a job. Another
interpretation is the manager was helping the poor by cutting out cruelly high
interest charged by his boss. Or maybe the manager asked the landowner to
lighten the debt because of a shortfall in that season’s crops.
Regardless, the steward is still called dishonest, and he made a mess
of his life and knew that he was responsible for his misery.
We are all dishonest stewards.
And we’ll make ourselves miserable by sin.
But, there is Good News! Imagine the judgment: The books were about to
be opened up, and the verdict was clear—guilty. Then, Jesus comes and is
willing to forgive our sins, and we accept the offer. Jesus on the Cross says
to us, “How much do you owe God? Sit down and write, “None!”
The parable is a story about redemption. Although Jesus called the subject of the parable a “dishonest manager,” it is not his last description.
The owner overlooked or ignored any personal loss and then, in effect,
describes him as “Commended,” “Prudent,” “Clever,” “Resourceful.”
The manager had a growth-mindset in his employee.
Parents, teachers, and coaches shape the mindsets of their students
through their actions and words as well as in how they teach students to think
about themselves.
It can be a fixed-mindset message that says: You have permanent traits
and I’m judging them. Or it can be a growth-mindset message that says: You are
a developing person and I am interested in your development — [source: Mindset,
by a Ph.D. and professor psychology at Stanford University, Carol Dweck].
Following up on this redemption story, the first reading this week
comes from the Book of Ezra, one of the first chroniclers of the post-exile
period of Judaism. He is responsible for helping hold the restored people
together. The readings pair it with Luke’s Gospel when Jesus urges us to use
our gifts: “No one lights a lamp and hides it under a bushel basket.”
When his family comes looking for him, Jesus uses the occasion to tell
us that we are family to him, if we hear his Word and act on it. Herod is
wondering who Jesus really is. He encourages his Apostles to freedom, sending
them out to teach and heal, taking nothing with them. Jesus asks his disciples
who they think he is. Peter replies for them all, “The Christ of God.” Jesus
doesn't want them to announce he’s the type of Messiah they were looking for.
Instead, he tells them of his upcoming passion and death.[i]
Action
For us: Ask yourself like the manager, “What shall I do?” in Luke 16:3.
He did not blame or get resentful for getting fired.
Put on your slippers!
Illustration: To a disciple who was forever complaining about others,
the Master said, “If it is peace you want, seek to change yourself, not other
people. It is easier to protect your feet with slippers than to carpet the
whole of the earth.”
Given the steward’s ability to speak to his real interests and act
before the final reckoning is our situation right now: there is a period of
grace. At the same time, the outcome of the reckoning is clear to him. Even
though there is some leeway, a sense of urgency governs his actions. When we
die, the owner’s words are to us, too: “Prepare a full account of your
stewardship.”
Sooner or later, the time will come when possessing money will cease
and unless they have previously been converted to higher values of a durable
kind, one is left stranded in poverty. That time, of course, is the moment of
death. The steward survived the crisis.
Calling wealth “dishonest” reflects the danger of vainly trusting it
and not using it for your eternal dwelling.
Jesus asks us, “Why is it that the worldly people plan, manipulate and
strategize with respect to money, yet you hardly pay attention to the crisis
that you are in—and fail to show a plan or purpose, and act creatively with
your life and resources when the time is ticking away in your life?”
The Catechism of the Catholic Church quotes St. John Chrysostom: What
we have does not ultimately belong to us. We are administrators - stewards of
God’s gifts. Like the dishonest steward, when we give to the poor, we are
assuring that someone will welcome us into eternal life. Make friends by
almsgiving to be received into everlasting habitations.
