Bulletin: 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Today’s gospel features one of those “how much more” parables in the gospels.  The dishonest manager, counting on his master’s generosity he experienced in the past and acting on his behalf, reduced some of the debts of his clients which constituted the amount he would have gotten as his own commission.  If the dishonest manager somehow provided for his future by his clever manipulation of wealth, “how much more” will we as Christian believers do the same by using our resources to build God’s reign in the world and in our hearts.

The parable is a powerful exhortation to rely on God’s mercy.  Reliance on God disposes us to be good stewards of His resources, especially by sharing our resources with those who have less or none.

Reliance on God means not relying on material wealth which has become the almighty power of our times.  Our world seems to be forever chasing the almighty dollar, transforming it to be the main goal in life and the main motivation for every business venture or any human activity, without due consideration of the good of the many who are left with little or nothing.  It is not that money should be demonized and considered the absolute root of all evil.  Money should not be deified and put in direct opposition to God’s love and providence in our life.  Money has a purpose.  Money cannot be the master of our life.  We cannot be a slave to money and claim to serve and love God at the same time.  God’s jurisdiction over us mandates that we have to share our rich resources with those who are poor and have less in terms of material wealth.  This is the reason the prophets of old like Amos were protesting against the wealthy of their respective times.  Jesus, in His prophetic role, denounced the insensitivity of those who made material wealth as the central force of their life, especially at the expense of the poor and the needy. 

As a prophetic community, we have to be the voice that echoes the principles of Christian justice and charity which Christ and the prophets before Him proclaimed.  By our own efforts, we have to show our willingness to share our wealth and resources with those who have less or none.  This is what it means to a community committed to the values proclaimed by Christ in the gospels.  

As a Church, we have no choice other than to show our solidarity with the poor and underprivileged and to condemn and denounce those who are insensitive to the poverty and suffering of so many in our midst.  As a resource-rich community, we are exhorted to use our money and wealth to advance to our journey of faith, by assuring our spiritual wealth before the presence of God.