OFFER PRAYERS FOR EVERYONE

XXV SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - Luke 16:1-13

This Sunday’s gospel leaves us puzzled. The parable tells us the story of a corrupt man who was mismanaging the property of his master. In the end, he was caught and called to give an account of his stewardship. As is many times the case, he had a good life but had not been wise enough to accumulate wealth for himself. However, he was clever enough to use well the time left. He doubled down on his corruption practices by calling all those who had not settled their debts and reducing them substantially. Thus, he made friends to give him a hand in times of need. In the end, he is praised not for his corruption but for his astuteness. He guaranteed his future subsistence by the helping hand he gave to the servants who were facing hardships. And Jesus advises his disciples to make friends in heaven with the tainted money that “will welcome you into the tents of eternity”. In the last sentence of today’s gospel, Jesus gives a stern warning: “You cannot be the slave both of God and of money.” Most of the time, we try to get the best of both worlds, but that is not possible. God and money don’t go together by the simple reason that money easily becomes an idol that we worship, enslaving us.

In the first reading, taken from Amos, the prophet denounces the exploitation of the poor by the rich and the powerful “who trample on the needy and try to suppress the poor people of the country.” (Amos 8:4-7). We may think that God does not care or does not see, but He is keeping record of our evil deeds, and, one day, He will call us to account: “Never will I forget a single thing you have done.”

Finally, in the second reading, the apostle Paul calls on us to offer prayers for everyone – “petitions, intercessions and thanksgiving – and especially for kings and others in authority, so that we may be able to live religious and reverent lives in peace and quiet.” (1 Tim 2:1-8).