Gospel
Jerusalem Bible © 1966 by Darton, Longman & Todd Ltd and Doubleday & Company Inc.
Jesus said to his disciples:
‘There was a rich man and he had a steward who was denounced to him for being wasteful with his property. He called for the man and said, “What is this I hear about you? Draw me up an account of your stewardship because you are not to be my steward any longer.” Then the steward said to himself, “Now that my master is taking the stewardship from me, what am I to do? Dig? I am not strong enough. Go begging? I should be too ashamed. Ah, I know what I will do to make sure that when I am dismissed from office there will be some to welcome me into their homes.”
Then he called his master’s debtors one by one. To the first he said, “How much do you owe my master?” “One hundred measures of oil” was the reply. The steward said, “Here, take your bond; sit down straight away and write fifty.” To another he said, “And you, sir, how much do you owe?” “One hundred measures of wheat” was the reply. The steward said, “Here, take your bond and write eighty.”
‘The master praised the dishonest steward for his astuteness. For the children of this world are more astute in dealing with their own kind than are the children of light.
‘And so I tell you this: use money, tainted as it is, to win you friends, and thus make sure that when it fails you, they will welcome you into the tents of eternity. The man who can be trusted in little things can be trusted in great; the man who is dishonest in little things will be dishonest in great. If then you cannot be trusted with money, that tainted thing, who will trust you with genuine riches? And if you cannot be trusted with what is not yours, who will give you what is your very own? ‘No servant can be the slave of two masters: he will either hate the first and love the second, or treat the first with respect and the second with scorn. You cannot be the slave both of God and of money.’
(Luke 16:1–13)
Did you know?
Points of interest and Catholic lore
- Two dominant themes emerge in the Gospel of Luke: the proper use of money and the awareness of how money can distract people from their pursuit of God.
- A measure of oil was approximately 35 litres—so 100 measures was a considerable debt.
- A measure of wheat was approximately 10 bushels—so, again, 100 measures was a considerable debt.
- In Jesus’ time, wealth was considered a reward for virtue, so his message in this text was greatly challenging.
Exploring the Word
This text may seem puzzling at first reading. How can dishonesty be so rewarded? We can understand the text more easily when we understand how commerce was conducted at the time. According to Jewish law, charging interest was not permissible. To get around this, a practice developed in which the original debt was increased to account for what would have been a normal interest rate. The cunning steward in the parable reduced his master's loans to the original amounts. The master will be paid his dues according to the law, but no more. If the master complained about what the steward did, then his sin would come to light. The real criticism in this text is directed towards people who have been entrusted with the riches of God’s kingdom but who have not used them well. The central message is that all who are called to share the riches of the kingdom must commit themselves to carefully administering those inestimable treasures. This is much more important than administering the riches of this world.
- How can money be used in our world to create or break down barriers between people?
- Pope John Paul II often spoke of aspiring to ‘be more’ rather than to ‘have more’, and Pope Francis has stated that ‘money has to serve, not to rule’. What do you think they meant by these comments? Explore the implications.
Making connections
Opportunities for group discussion and personal prayer
- Are you the kind of person on whom others can rely, whether for little things or great things?
- On what are your real friendships based?
- What is the most important thing in your life?
- The steward was praised for being ‘astute’. Explore the talents and gifts you can identify in members of the group. What talents or gifts would you like to have? How can you cultivate these talents?
- Use your talents for others this week. Be good stewards of creation by making environmentally responsible choices.
- This prayer is attributed to St Ignatius of Loyola. Use it daily this week:
Lord Jesus Christ, take all my freedom,
my memory, my understanding, my will.
All that I have and cherish you have given me.
I surrender it all to be guided by your will.
Your grace and your love are wealth enough for me.
Give me these, Lord Jesus, I ask for nothing more.
Sharing the tradition
A closer look at the Scripture of the day, to see how it makes more explicit God’s word to us through the teachings of Jesus Christ
Truth, honesty, integrity and trustworthiness are some of the virtues that Christians must cultivate if they are committed to following the way of Jesus. Throughout history, the Church has formulated a series of virtues: ‘Four virtues play a pivotal role and accordingly are called “cardinal”; all others are grouped around them. They are prudence, justice, fortitude and temperance’ (CCC, §1805).
- Use the Catechism of the Catholic Church to explore what these terms mean. How can they be practically understood in the present day?
The theological virtues are faith, hope and charity (CCC, §§1812–1829).
- Again, use the Catechism of the Catholic Church to explore what these terms mean. How can they be practically understood in the present day?
St Paul offers lists of virtues to be cultivated and vices to be avoided (see Galatians 5:19–23 or 1 Thessalonians 5:12–22).
- Find and read some of these lists, and then discuss how these ‘virtues’ and ‘vices’ manifest practically in our daily lives and in the world.
- In terms of virtue, how are Christians called to respond in certain situations? Ensure that you discuss practical examples.
Symbols and images
Just like the steward in this text, we are entrusted with God-given talents, and we must use them in ways that will yield genuine riches. We are also becoming increasingly aware that we must be good stewards of God’s creation to ensure its riches for future generations.
Living the Word
Practical ideas for group leaders to employ in connecting Scripture and daily life, with suggestions for music and environment
- Who are the ‘stewards’ of your local community? Who is entrusted with the ‘administration’ of the parish? What tasks do they perform? You could invite members of the Pastoral Council, or others involved in ‘stewardship’, to share their reflections on their work. What priorities are established that guide how the local community’s resources are used?
- As a focus for prayer, use small parcels wrapped as gifts. Affirm the gifts and talents of each person in the group. Pray for each other as you seek to strengthen the virtues required for Christian life. A suitable song could be Come as You Are (GA 212). Conclude with the blessing in the RCIA at §97D.