Be Faithful in Small Matters: 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Sermon by Emmanuel Suntheni – Twenty-Fifth Sunday In Ordinary Time –
Sermon And Christian Act In The Word
Theme: Be Faithful in Small Matters! Be an honest and faithful servant! Securing a Bright Future!
Point of Reflection: Am I a faithful servant? What am I concerned with in my daily Christian life? Today’s liturgy acknowledges the importance of the daily concern about the future but puts it in a larger framework of life that begins in this world and continues into eternity.
First Reading: Amos 8:4–7
Psalm: Psalm 113:1–2, 4–8
Second Reading: 1 Timothy 2:1–8
Gospel: Luke 16:1–13
Sermon (Reflection): The Gospel passage of today contains arguably the most puzzling story in the Bible known as “the parable of the dishonest servant”. This parable appears to recommend dishonesty and cheating as acceptable means of securing one’s future. However, such interpretation is far from accurate. This parable uses the technique of shocking the reader to increase the impact of its intended message. In this story, the corrupt manager continues to cheat his master even after he was discovered and dismissed. The shock comes when the master, instead of condemning and punishing the corrupt manager for his persistent and unrepentant cheating, praises him! The message of the story lies not in the actions of the servant but in his reasoning. The master does not approve or praise his behaviour, but his ability to turn his failure to his advantage. The lesson of the parable lies in identifying the approach believers ought to employ when dealing with wealth.
In the Gospel of Luke, money and wealth, in general, are identified as chief threats to faith and discipleship. Telling this parable, Jesus teaches his hearers how to use this dangerous, “dishonest” wealth, to the believer’s advantage. The way to do this is to “make friends for yourselves by means of dishonest wealth”. For Jesus, wealth is destructive when it leads to greed and isolation. Are we not greedy with the little resources we have?
Nevertheless, wealth can also be beneficial when used for sharing and service. Such use strengthens good relationships among people, while greed destroys them. Since dealing with wealth and money is an unavoidable part of human existence in this world, Jesus calls his followers to learn from the cheating manager. The lesson lies not in the exact imitation of his behaviour but in his method of using potentially dangerous wealth to his advantage.
Jesus emphasises that the use of wealth matters. Those faithful in “little things” show themselves capable of handling “greater things”. Using money correctly and not being controlled by it, testifies to the ability to choose and serve one’s master and be faithful. Thus, every person must make a fundamental choice – either to subordinate everything to the quest for serving God and then reap the benefits of eternal life or to focus on the pursuit of wealth and lose it all in the end.
The author of 1 Timothy which is our second reading has called Christians to be exemplary citizens and to be concerned about the salvation of all as means to secure their own future. Are we exemplary Christians concerned about God’s love? Food for thought.
In the first reading of today, Amos denounces his people’s plans, and their way of life in general, as a direct violation of the Law of Moses. This law categorically demanded social justice and identified care for the vulnerable and the needy as an essential trait of a pious and faithful Israelite (Cf. Deuteronomy 10:14-22; 24:19-21). The ruling class and the wealthy aristocrats in Israel were quietly ignoring and blatantly violating these demands. Amos declared that such violations of God’s law will inevitably lead to the destruction of the nation. His prophecies came true. Soon after his prophetic mission ended, the period of prosperity in Israel ended abruptly and the Assyrian invasion erased Israel from history.
Furthermore, Amos’ message to the wealthy oppressors shows the folly of their reasoning and actions. They sought to live a comfortable life and secure their future at the cost of disrupting or destroying the life of their fellow Israelites. Sometimes in our Christian life want to live a comfortable live with earthly possession but we need to think twice and secure safety wealth which is only found in God.
Christian Act in Word of God “I will be a Faithful Servant”
What are we concerned with in our daily life? Concern for the future is perhaps the first thing on our minds when we wake up in the morning, often taking shape of worry or even anxiety. What are we going to do today? How can we complete our tasks? Where will the money for the rent come from? Worry is our unwanted companion at almost every step we take through life. Perhaps it belongs to our nature to worry. Nevertheless, we need not to be dishonest servants but honest servants.
This concern about the future can be dangerous because it can transform itself into excessive worrying, which in turn leads to anxiety. When we worry, we focus entirely on what we worry about. We become fixated, and the object of our worry claims all our attention. It dominates us and, in many ways, enslaves us. In some sense, what we worry about assumes in our mind and heart the place that rightfully belongs to God alone. For this reason, Jesus repeatedly warned his disciples about the danger of anxiety. In the Gospels, worry is found among the three chief dangers to discipleship, next to hypocrisy and greed.
Some Christians are prone to say that, since they are entirely in God’s hands, they need not take their life into their own hands. Certainly, our lives are in God’s hands, but planning for the future is God’s will for us. He has guided us through the teaching of Jesus and free will to shape ourselves as we choose. God wills us to be active collaborators who respond to him as willing partners in the project of our salvation, not passive puppets. By careful and purposeful planning of our life in accordance with the guidelines God laid down for in the Scripture and our tradition, we become God’s partners in the project of our salvation and the salvation of the world. Let us be true collaborators of the Kingdom of God.
Action: From now on, I will be an honest and faithful servant.
Prayer: Lord our God, teach us to be honest and faithful servants in our daily Christian living. Pour your Holy Spirit upon us so that we become true partners in bringing the Good News to the ends of the World by being exemplary Christians, we ask this through Christ our Lord, Amen.
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