25th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Cycle C, Year II)
Community Word: True Disciples of Christ know and follow His teachings.
Theme: We know and follow Christ’s teachings when we are prudent and trustworthy stewards of God’s gifts and provisions.
Promise: “This is good and pleasing to God our savior, who wills everyone to be saved and to come to knowledge of the truth.” (1Tim 2:3, 4)
Reflection:
Do you give priority to work for your spiritual salvation?
The 1st reading depicts how social injustice is committed by the disregard of human dignity in exchange for wealth and money. The prophet Amos said that God’s concern is our salvation and should be our primary concern too. In the 2nd reading, St. Paul counsels us that our prayers should be accompanied by a life of justice and respect for human dignity.
Jesus is a very practical man and His parables lead us to life stories that sometimes disturb us. The Gospel parable tells us, “And the master commended the 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.” (Lk 16:8). The master’s reaction of commending and praising the dishonest steward is confusing. The steward who is about to lose his job had devised a scheme to secure his future. He lessened the goods or amount due to the master to earn a favor from the debtors, and by winning them as friends he might be able to save himself and secure his future needs, for he is not strong enough to work.
Is Jesus telling us that the action of the steward is worth emulating? Definitely not! The lesson that Jesus wants to convey is the quick and immediate action of the dishonest steward to save himself and his future. It is not the act of squandering and cheating that are being commended but by such prudence on the part of the steward to act promptly to save himself. This should be the kind of attitude when it comes to our spiritual salvation, to act prudently when our salvation is at stake.
If we are able to make plans for our future, make interventions and sacrifices for worldly goods, how much more should we make more sacrifices for our spiritual investments! We exert so much time and effort to acquire wealth and personal needs, so we must also exert extra effort and exhaust all means for our spiritual wellness. The world equates success to fame, wealth, position and power. If the world defines prosperity as success, with Jesus it is righteousness. It is not what we see from the outside but what is in one’s heart. Money and material possessions are good, but these can only become God’s blessings if shared with others, with the mindset that everything comes from God and should be used for His honor and glory.
The letter of St. Paul to Timothy exhorts us, “First of all, I ask that supplications, prayers, petitions and thanksgiving be offered to everyone, for kings and for all in authority, that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life” (1 Tim 2:1). It gives a clear view on what intervention should be done to prepare us. Yes, it is through constant communication to our Father through prayer. And praying not only for our needs and sanctification but for the holiness and transformation of others as well. We are blessed to be part of the community where we are being nourished by God’s word, through our weekly word sharing circles, and communing and being united with our Triune God through our weekly worship. Our service to Jesus is the love of the Lord being extended and manifested through our love and care to our brothers and sisters in community and to the poor communities and outreaches. Are we not on the right track of pleasing our God and saving for our future, that through His grace we can attain salvation?
It is clear that God, our Father, is so concerned with His children; it is His desire for all of us to be saved. St. Paul gives us this assurance, “This is good and pleasing to God our savior, who wills everyone to be saved and to come to knowledge of the truth,” (1 Tim 2:3, 4).
Prayer:
Loving Jesus You came and suffered for our salvation. We are extremely grateful for all You have given us. You have blessed us and attended to our needs and favored us with so much. Guide us, our dearest Lord, not to waste or misuse Your graces, not to be attached to material things but to use them for Your glory and for our salvation. In Your name we pray to the Father. And we ask the loving prayers of our Blessed Mother and St. Joseph. Amen.
Reflection Guide Questions:
- Are you mindful of your spiritual preparation? Are you a prudent steward of the gifts that God has given you?
- Do you share your blessings of time, talent and treasure by giving to the community’s mission work, especially to help the poor and the needy?
This Week’s Daily Mass Reading Guide:
September 18, 2022 (Sun) – Am 8:4-7/ Ps 113:1-2,4-6,7-8/ 1 Tm 2:1-8/ Lk 16:1-13
September 19, 2022 (Mon) – Prv 3:27-34/ Ps 15:2-5/ Lk 8:16-18
September 20, 2022 (Tue) – Prv 21:1-6, 10-13/ Ps 119:1, 27, 30, 34, 35, 44/ Lk 8:19-21
September 21, 2022 (Wed) – Eph 4:1-7, 11-13/ Ps 19:2-5/ Mt 9:9-13
September 22, 2022 (Thu) – Eccl 1:2-11/ Ps 90:3-6, 13-13, 17/ Lk 9:7-9
September 23, 2022 (Fri) – Eccl 3:1-11/ Ps 144:1-4/ Lk 9:18-22
September 24, 2022 (Sat) – Eccl 11:9-12:8/ Ps 90:3-6, 12-14, 17/ Lk 9:43-45
“Ignorance of the Bible is ignorance of Christ. Read your Bible daily!”
