Serving Only One Master, the Lord

25th Sunday in Ordinary Time: September 18, 2022

Readings: Amos 8:4–7; Psalm 113:1–2, 4–6, 7–8; 1 Timothy 2:1–8; Luke 16:1–13

(The parable of the untrustworthy steward: Luke 16:1–13)
To listen to my audio-video reflections via YouTube, please click here: https://youtu.be/68MSq-ds_lo

The world that we live in is tricky. To sail through the world of peace and joy, pleasure and happiness, sin and suffering, in a worthy manner, we have to be careful and attentive. Even though we are born in the world as free human beings we tend to fall into the same trap of being controlled by the world, its ideas, whims and fancies. The political philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778) famously said “man is born free but everywhere is in chains.” Thomas Hobbes (1588–1679), another philosopher says "the condition of man... is a condition of war of everyone against everyone." As we read through this Sunday's liturgical readings, the above-mentioned thoughts come to our minds. Whether it is the words of Prophet Amos or the parables of Jesus, all have a similar tone that the world in which we live is messy and complicated one.  

1. Small things matter

"The person who is trustworthy in very small matters is also trustworthy in great ones; and the person who is dishonest in very small matters is also dishonest in great ones" (Luke 16:10). The powerful words of Jesus ring very true in our ears. We cannot trust someone if one is not careful and diligent in small matters. Nobody will give such a person a bigger responsibility if the person is unable to handle a smaller one. No one will give a person authority if the person is found insincere, dishonest and corrupt. These are part of the lokaniyama rules of the world. The welfare of the world loka kalyana is possible only by those who are persons of integrity and truth. When a person fulfills a small task is itself proof of his fitness or unfitness to be entrusted with a bigger task. We cannot advance to the higher office until one has shown proof of his honesty and ability to perform in a smaller position. 

Jesus in today's Gospel (Luke 16:1–13), indeed gives a fascinating parable of an untrustworthy, wicked steward who manured in spite of putting him into a fix by his master, still, knew how to get the best out of his worst times! He is no model of repentance. The biblical scholar William Barclay says "a story about as choice a set of rascals as one could meet anywhere." Even though the master tells his steward that what he was doing is not right, still the steward pursued achieving his self-interest and self-goals even before he was kicked out of his job! He knew that by doing so he loses nothing. What a shrewd fellow, he must have been! He focused on himself first. In fact, the master himself was taken up by his steward's shrewdness even at the last minute of his job. A thief is always a thief!

2. Doing the right things

The parable of the unjust steward tells a lot of things about the ways in which affairs of this world are conducted. It also speaks about honesty and integrity and decency in public life.  It confronts the reality that the steward can’t go on living the way he has been. He is under scrutiny. He must give an account for what he has done. The steward knew that he would be no more in that job. Therefore, he quickly and cleverly made an alternate brilliant plan. He falsified the entries in the books so that the debtors were debited with far less than they owed. This would certainly have better effects. Firstly, the debtors would be grateful to him; and second, and much more effective, he had involved the debtors in his own misdemeanours, and, if the worst came to the worst, he was now in a strong position to exercise a little judicious blackmail! A false claim could be argued only with another false claim. 

The tragedy that unfolds here is astonishing. The master himself was something of an idiot, for, instead of being shocked at the whole proceeding, he appreciated the shrewd brain behind it and actually praised the steward for what he had done. Cheating, stealing and taking advantage of the vulnerable is ok for him! Can you imagine that? Jesus emphasizes here that we cannot be carried away by the false things of the world including the cunning and deceitfulness of the steward and the appreciation of his master. Jesus also tells us that the material things of the world might help us to cement the relationships but real values are essential to do the right things.

3. Serving God and God alone

"No servant can serve two masters, he will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and mammon" says Jesus (Luke 16:13). It is said, "the rich help the poor in this world, but the poor help the rich in the world to come." It was a Jewish belief that charity given to poor people would stand to a man's credit in the world to come. A man's true wealth would consist not in what he kept, but in what he gave away. Jesus has this principle attached to eternity.  As long as we are here on this earth we might be in-charge of things, possessions and positions of power which actually may not be ours. Certainly, they are not permanently ours. Most importantly these things cannot buy health, happiness and eternal life.

Jesus strengthens our resolve that only in heaven we will get what is really and eternally ours. However, this depends on how we use things and other possibilities here on earth. Therefore, we are stewards of things, authority, possessions and positions that we make use of as long as we live on this earth. We cannot possess everyone. No slave can serve two masters. However, today a workman can serve more than two masters. Recently, this has become big news in India as IT and other professionals seem to be taking up full-time different jobs (moonlighting) under different companies! For Jesus, serving God can never be a part-time or a spare-time job. Once a person chooses to serve God every moment of his time and every atom of his energy belongs to God. God is the most exclusive of masters. We either belong to him totally or not at all.

Questions for reflections:

1. The words like generosity towards others, fair shares for all, care for the poor and the oppressed are often used in our spiritual talk.  What relevance do these themes have for you?
2. Prophet Amos speaks about God is angered when powerful people control the means of production and let the poor go hungry. What is your attitude towards those who are involved in corruption, deceit, or stealing public or institutional property or wealth?
3. There seems to be ambition running high to safeguard oneself in the parable. What is that ambition drives in your life either for good or bad?

Prayer:

I praise you, Lord. Your glory is high above all nations and above the heavens.  For you lift up the poor, lowly, lonely, needy and the lost. O God, you have made of one blood all the peoples of the earth, and sent your blessed Son to preach peace to those who are far off and to those who are near: Grant that people everywhere may seek after you and find you; bring the nations into your fold; pour out your Spirit upon all flesh; and hasten the coming of your kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

- Olvin Veigas, SJ

September 16, 2022