The WORD today reminds me that I should be wise with my earthly wealth.
When we say someone is wise with money, we usually associate it to 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 of 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, just like what the first reading reminds us.
The pandemic is still very alive. There are a lot of people who we can help and share God’s blessings to. We have a lot of opportunities to share God’s blessings and to act on what he is reminding us today. We just need t make the decision to do so, not just to be able to help others, but to prepare our eternity as well.
What are my blessings in life? What do I do with these? Do I solely enjoy these? Or am I generous enough to share them with others? What is God reminding me today?
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 your love. Thank you for all your blessings. 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. Sorry for being self centered. 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, talent, 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 Day!
In Christ,
-g-
Daily Readings
- Readings for the Memorial of Saint Charles Borromeo, bishop
Memorial of Saint Charles Borromeo, Bishop
Lectionary: 489
Reading 1
Join with others in being imitators of me, brothers and sisters,
and observe those who thus conduct themselves
according to the model you have in us.
For many, as I have often told you
and now tell you even in tears,
conduct themselves as enemies of the cross of Christ.
Their end is destruction.
Their God is their stomach;
their glory is in their “shame.”
Their minds are occupied with earthly things.
But our citizenship is in heaven,
and from it we also await a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.
He will change our lowly body
to conform with his glorified Body
by the power that enables him also
to bring all things into subjection to himself.
Therefore, my brothers and sisters,
whom I love and long for, my joy and crown,
in this way stand firm in the Lord, beloved.
Responsorial Psalm
R. (1) Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
I rejoiced because they said to me,
“We will go up to the house of the LORD.”
And now we have set foot
within your gates, O Jerusalem.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
Jerusalem, built as a city
with compact unity.
To it the tribes go up,
the tribes of the LORD.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
According to the decree for Israel,
to give thanks to the name of the LORD.
In it are set up judgment seats,
seats for the house of David.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
I rejoiced because they said to me,
“We will go up to the house of the LORD.”
And now we have set foot
within your gates, O Jerusalem.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
Jerusalem, built as a city
with compact unity.
To it the tribes go up,
the tribes of the LORD.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
According to the decree for Israel,
to give thanks to the name of the LORD.
In it are set up judgment seats,
seats for the house of David.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
Alleluia
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Whoever keeps the word of Christ,
the love of God is truly perfected in him.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Whoever keeps the word of Christ,
the love of God is truly perfected in him.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
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 he said, ‘And you, how much do you owe?’
He replied, ‘One hundred measures of wheat.’
He 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 the children of light.”
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 he said, ‘And you, how much do you owe?’
He replied, ‘One hundred measures of wheat.’
He 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 the children of light.”
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