Jesus nor the master is praising the steward for his dishonesty.

Secondly we need to be tenacious.

We cannot give in to despair but should struggle to make a life worthy of heaven.

The children of light are focused on the kingdom of God.

Jesus is calling his disciples to become as savvy to the ways of the kingdom

as other people are savvy to the ways of the world.

 

 ＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊    

Philippians 3:17-4:1

Unite in imitating me,

Brothers and sisters, and look at those who walk in our way of life. For many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. I have said it to you many times, and now I repeat it with tears: they are heading for ruin; their belly is their god, and they feel proud of what should be their shame. They only think of earthly things.

 

For us, our citizenship is in heaven, from where we await the coming of our Saviour, Jesus Christ, the Lord. He will transfigure our lowly body, making it like his own body, radiant in glory, through the power which is his, to submit everything to himself.

Therefore, my brothers and sisters, whom I love and long for you, my glory and crown, be steadfast in the Lord.

 

Ps 122:1-2, 3-4ab, 4cd-5 

Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.

 

＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊      

Luke 16:1-8

At another time Jesus told his disciples, "There was a rich man whose steward was reported to him because of fraudulent service. He summoned the steward and asked him, 'What is this I hear about you? I want you to render an account of your service, for it is about to be terminated.

 

The steward thought to himself, 'What am I to do now? My master will surely dismiss me. I am not strong enough to do hard work, and I am ashamed to beg. I know what I will do: I must make sure that when I am dismissed, there will be people who will welcome me into their homes.'

 

So he called his master's debtors, one by one. He asked the first debtor, 'How much do you owe my master?' The reply was, 'A hundred jars of oil. The steward said, 'Here is your bill. Sit down quickly and write fifty. To the second debtor he put the same question, 'How much do you owe?' The answer was, 'A hundred measures of wheat.' Then the steward said, 'Take your bill and write eighty.

 

The master commended the dishonest steward for his astuteness: for the people of this world are more astute in dealing with their own kind, than are the people of light.

 

Gospel Reflection ：

 

"Act with Astuteness"

In carrying out our mission in the world today, we seldom run out of inspiration. Often, what we lack is the needed strategy to realise our mission for the benefit of the people at large. The Gospel passage for today narrates what is commonly known as the parable of the shrewd steward or manager. The master learned of the steward's fraudulent service and asked him to render a full account of his service.

 

His master was about to terminate him. The steward thought of a way that there would be people to receive him once he is terminated by his master. The steward successfully devised a scheme by which he lessened the loans of those who owed his master. Those whose loans were reduced then owed him a debt of gratitude. In the end, his master commended the steward for acting wisely.

 

The Gospel passage ends with the challenge posed to the people of the light to also act wisely, similar to what the shrewd steward did in the Gospel. It is a great challenge to every Christian community to strategize the work of evangelization.