Today’s Gospel:  Luke 16:9-15

REFLECTION
This is the “moral” of the parable of the dishonest steward, a story which presents problems of its own. The steward looked after his master’s estate, dealt with the other employees and tenants, and in general should have relieved his master of all concern about the day-to-day running of his affairs. But he mismanaged the estate, and not simply (it appears) through incompetence or negligence, until the time came when his master discovered that his affairs were in bad shape and ordered the steward to turn in his books, since his employment was terminated.

Before he turned in his books, the steward took some hasty measures with an eye to his future interests. In particular, he summoned his master’s debtors and reduced their debts substantially, altering the entries accordingly. Perhaps we are to understand that he made good the difference out of his own pocket; if he did, his money was well invested. He wanted to be sure of bed and board when he was dismissed from his employment with no severance benefit. No one would take him on as steward (his master was not likely to give him the kind of testimonial that would encourage any other landowner to employ him); the alternatives were casual labor (digging, for example) or begging. He did not feel strong enough for the former, and to be a beggar would be insufferably disgraceful. But if he made some friends now by a judicious expenditure of his means, they might give him shelter when he was evicted from his tied cottage.

His master got to know of his action and called him a clever rascal. No more than this need be understood of Jesus’ remark that “the master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly” (Lk 16:8). The master may well have recognized some analogy between the steward’s conduct and the methods by which his own wealth had been amassed. “You see,” said Jesus, “worldly people, with no thoughts beyond this present life, will sometimes behave more sensibly and providently than other-worldly people, ‘the children of light.’ They will use material wealth to prepare for their earthly future; why cannot the children of light use it to prepare for their eternal future? Use the ‘unrighteous mammon’ to win yourselves friends in the world to come.” It is called “unrighteous mammon” because it is too often acquired unjustly and used for unjust ends. It is ethically neutral in itself; it is people’s attitudes to it and ways of dealing with it that are reprehensible. As has often been pointed out, it is not money as such but “the love of money” which Scripture affirms to be “the root of all evils” (1 Tim 6:10).

But how can material wealth be used to procure friends who will receive one “into eternal dwellings” when it is no longer accessible? This parable is followed by a collection of isolated sayings, several of which are concerned with the subject of wealth, and then comes another story - the story of the rich man and Lazarus. In it we meet a man who had plenty of the “unrighteous mammon” and used it all to secure comfort and good cheer for himself in this life, giving no thought to the life to come. The time came when he would have been very glad to have even one friend to welcome him into the “eternal habitations,” but he found none. Yet he had every opportunity of securing such a friend. There at his gate lay Lazarus, destitute and covered with sores, only too glad to catch and eat the pieces of bread which the rich man and his guests used to wipe their fingers at table and then threw to the dogs outside. If the rich man had used a little of his wealth to help Lazarus, he would have had a friend to speak up for him on the other side. “This man,” Lazarus might have said to Abraham, “showed me the kindness of God on earth.” But Lazarus had been given no ground to say any such thing. The rich man in Hades found himself without a friend when he needed one most - and he had no one to blame but himself.

Today’s Reading:  Philippians 4:10-19

PRAYER
Father Almighty, the wealth is desire is that which you have promised to those who will enjoy your company in eternity.  Grant that I may be worthy of this blessing.  In Jesus’ Name we pray.  Amen.