The WORD today reminds me that I should be wise in using my worldly wealth.
When
we say someone is wise with money, we usually associate it with good
businessmen and investors who can make more with what they originally have.
They are wise and know how to handle and increase their wealth. That is how the
world looks at it. However, today I am reminded of something more. A wiser use
of wealth.
A wise
use if earthly wealth is to create heavenly ones.
A
few years back, I read a book called “The Law of Rewards” and one of the
main point it says is that we should invest in eternity. The
book puts it that we are just travelers in this world, and heaven is our real
home. We will just stay in this earth for a short time. That being the case, we
should be wise and use whatever we have on earth to build our home for eternity. We
should use temporary resources on earth to build our
house in heaven, instead of holding on to it and enjoying it here.
God
wants us to use our worldly blessings to prepare for eternal ones.
In
the gospel, we see the story of a dishonest steward. It was said that during
that time, the stewards get a certain amount or percentage from the money the
owners get. They have an automatic cut from the payments of the people. That is
why when the steward found out he will be dismissed from work, he actually did
not “cheat” the master to gain favour from the people. What he actually did was
to take off his “cut” or his share in the amount, and just asked the people to
pay exactly what will be given to the master. In that way, he found favour in
the eyes of the people, and the master commended him for using his resources
(or letting go of it) in preparation for his being fired from the job.
God
has given us resources on this earth. And to live decently and comfortably, we
don’t actually need a lot. What we spend is sometimes above and beyond the
actual basics that we need. This is what God wants us to realize – that
we should not enjoy too much that we forget other people. We are given
resources not only for ourselves, but for us to help others as well. In doing
so, we are not only doing good, but being wise as well. Money and everything in
this earth will pass away. They will gather dust, and will be left in this
earth when we die. We need to be prudent and wise with how we
use what we have. As we use our resources to help others and build God’s
kingdom, we are being wise and use these temporary resources to build our
eternal home in heaven. We should also not resort to doing evil and
compromising our values just to get earthly resources. Everything worldly is
temporary, so we should not compromise our souls just to get them. The first
reading warns us that God sees the evil done, and will bring justice in his
time.
How
do I view worldly riches? Am I so focused on accumulating these? Do I
compromise my values just to have more? Do I share my blessing with others? How
can I be more generous with my blessings? What is God telling me to do?
May
we live by the quote – live simply, so that others may simply
live. And be wise stewards and prepare our eternal place in heaven by
the temporary riches on earth.
Father
God,
Thank
you for today. Thank you for another day to live and to serve you. Thank you
for another Sunday. Thank you for your love. Thank you for the very important
reminder. Sorry for the times I focus too much on myself and my wants. Sorry
for forgetting that there is eternity. Lord, help me use my resources
properly. I thank you for providing for me and my family, and I make the decision
to share whatever I have to others. I do not need a lot of things. I have more
than enough, so I will share your gifts and blessings to others. Help me be
generous not only with my material resources, but with my time and prayers as
well. Create in me a heart that would always be sensitive to others, that would
always be willing to be in pain as I be of service and blessing to others. May
I be a happy giver for your kingdom. Amen.
Blessed Sunday!
In Christ,
-g-
September 22 2019
«
Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 135
Lectionary: 135
Reading
1 AM 8:4-7
Hear
this, you who trample upon the needy
and destroy the poor of the land!
"When will the new moon be over," you ask,
"that we may sell our grain,
and the sabbath, that we may display the wheat?
We will diminish the ephah,
add to the shekel,
and fix our scales for cheating!
We will buy the lowly for silver,
and the poor for a pair of sandals;
even the refuse of the wheat we will sell!"
The LORD has sworn by the pride of Jacob:
Never will I forget a thing they have done!
and destroy the poor of the land!
"When will the new moon be over," you ask,
"that we may sell our grain,
and the sabbath, that we may display the wheat?
We will diminish the ephah,
add to the shekel,
and fix our scales for cheating!
We will buy the lowly for silver,
and the poor for a pair of sandals;
even the refuse of the wheat we will sell!"
The LORD has sworn by the pride of Jacob:
Never will I forget a thing they have done!
Responsorial
Psalm PS
113:1-2, 4-6, 7-8
R.
(cf. 1a, 7b) Praise the Lord who lifts up
the poor.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Praise, you servants of the LORD,
praise the name of the LORD.
Blessed be the name of the LORD
both now and forever.
R. Praise the Lord who lifts up the poor.
or:
R. Alleluia.
High above all nations is the LORD;
above the heavens is his glory.
Who is like the LORD, our God, who is enthroned on high
and looks upon the heavens and the earth below?
R. Praise the Lord who lifts up the poor.
or:
R. Alleluia.
He raises up the lowly from the dust;
from the dunghill he lifts up the poor
to seat them with princes,
with the princes of his own people.
R. Praise the Lord who lifts up the poor.
or:
R. Alleluia.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Praise, you servants of the LORD,
praise the name of the LORD.
Blessed be the name of the LORD
both now and forever.
R. Praise the Lord who lifts up the poor.
or:
R. Alleluia.
High above all nations is the LORD;
above the heavens is his glory.
Who is like the LORD, our God, who is enthroned on high
and looks upon the heavens and the earth below?
R. Praise the Lord who lifts up the poor.
or:
R. Alleluia.
He raises up the lowly from the dust;
from the dunghill he lifts up the poor
to seat them with princes,
with the princes of his own people.
R. Praise the Lord who lifts up the poor.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Reading
2 1 TM 2:1-8
Beloved:
First of all, I ask that supplications, prayers,
petitions, and thanksgivings be offered for everyone,
for kings and for all in authority,
that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life
in all devotion and dignity.
This is good and pleasing to God our savior,
who wills everyone to be saved
and to come to knowledge of the truth.
For there is one God.
There is also one mediator between God and men,
the man Christ Jesus,
who gave himself as ransom for all.
This was the testimony at the proper time.
For this I was appointed preacher and apostle
— I am speaking the truth, I am not lying —,
teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.
It is my wish, then, that in every place the men should pray,
lifting up holy hands, without anger or argument.
First of all, I ask that supplications, prayers,
petitions, and thanksgivings be offered for everyone,
for kings and for all in authority,
that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life
in all devotion and dignity.
This is good and pleasing to God our savior,
who wills everyone to be saved
and to come to knowledge of the truth.
For there is one God.
There is also one mediator between God and men,
the man Christ Jesus,
who gave himself as ransom for all.
This was the testimony at the proper time.
For this I was appointed preacher and apostle
— I am speaking the truth, I am not lying —,
teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.
It is my wish, then, that in every place the men should pray,
lifting up holy hands, without anger or argument.
Alleluia CF. 2 COR 8:9
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Though our Lord Jesus Christ was rich, he became poor,
so that by his poverty you might become rich.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Though our Lord Jesus Christ was rich, he became poor,
so that by his poverty you might become rich.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Jesus
said to his disciples,
"A rich man had a steward
who was reported to him for squandering his property.
He summoned him and said,
'What is this I hear about you?
Prepare a full account of your stewardship,
because you can no longer be my steward.'
The steward said to himself, 'What shall I do,
now that my master is taking the position of steward away from me?
I am not strong enough to dig and I am ashamed to beg.
I know what I shall do so that,
when I am removed from the stewardship,
they may welcome me into their homes.'
He called in his master's debtors one by one.
To the first he said,
'How much do you owe my master?'
He replied, 'One hundred measures of olive oil.'
He said to him, 'Here is your promissory note.
Sit down and quickly write one for fifty.'
Then to another the steward said, 'And you, how much do you owe?'
He replied, 'One hundred kors of wheat.'
The steward said to him, 'Here is your promissory note;
write one for eighty.'
And the master commended that dishonest steward for acting prudently.
"For the children of this world
are more prudent in dealing with their own generation
than are the children of light.
I tell you, make friends for yourselves with dishonest wealth,
so that when it fails, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.
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.
If, therefore, you are not trustworthy with dishonest wealth,
who will trust you with true wealth?
If you are not trustworthy with what belongs to another,
who will give you what is yours?
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."
"A rich man had a steward
who was reported to him for squandering his property.
He summoned him and said,
'What is this I hear about you?
Prepare a full account of your stewardship,
because you can no longer be my steward.'
The steward said to himself, 'What shall I do,
now that my master is taking the position of steward away from me?
I am not strong enough to dig and I am ashamed to beg.
I know what I shall do so that,
when I am removed from the stewardship,
they may welcome me into their homes.'
He called in his master's debtors one by one.
To the first he said,
'How much do you owe my master?'
He replied, 'One hundred measures of olive oil.'
He said to him, 'Here is your promissory note.
Sit down and quickly write one for fifty.'
Then to another the steward said, 'And you, how much do you owe?'
He replied, 'One hundred kors of wheat.'
The steward said to him, 'Here is your promissory note;
write one for eighty.'
And the master commended that dishonest steward for acting prudently.
"For the children of this world
are more prudent in dealing with their own generation
than are the children of light.
I tell you, make friends for yourselves with dishonest wealth,
so that when it fails, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.
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.
If, therefore, you are not trustworthy with dishonest wealth,
who will trust you with true wealth?
If you are not trustworthy with what belongs to another,
who will give you what is yours?
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."
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