The Unjust Steward (2019-09-22, Sunday-25)

HML  • 2019 September 22 •  25^th Sunday

• Amos 8:4-7  • Psalm 113 •1 Timothy 2:1-8 •  Luke 16:1-13   •           

[_01_]     The parable seems to indicate or implicate – it has a very strange implication –  that we can cheat and steal and be dishonest our way to success and to salvation. But, we cannot really cheat and steal our way to material success and comfort.

          What we encounter in the parable is a man with a really bad track record for financial management who has been caught red-handed by his boss for taking money. The old saying is that “his hand was caught in the cookie jar.”

          Boys and girls, if you parents ask you not to have an sweets or dessert before dinner and then you go secretly to find some cookies and then someone sees you… your hand is caught in the cookie jar.

          In the case of this parable, the cookie jar was full of money and this man is caught taking money from the jar.

          And, the man knows he is in trouble and cannot get another job.

          So, he decides because he is in charge of all the cookies and in charge of all the money for my boss and master, I shall give out some of the money to other people.

          It is a strange message and outcome because after all this fraud, the boss praises him for doing that.

[_02_]  In this ancient parable, Saint Bede (England) [Source: Catena Aurea, Luke, ch. 16] points out that the steward is manager of the farm, who is in charge of the cookie jar and all the money, he takes his name and reputation from the property farm. But the steward, or director of the household, is the overseer of money as well as products and fruits, and of every thing the master possesses.

          So, the steward has everything tied into the master – his name, his reputation, his money, his home …and he also has the power to “give out” the things his master possesses.

          It is a reminder that you and me about what is the source and origin of all our efforts and energies and favors we do for others.  We are called to remember that we do for others and give to others were gifts that we received from God… to be given away.

          John Paul II: we find ourselves by self-gift, by giving ourselves away.

          God gives us intelligence, honesty, forgiveness … and we are called to share these things with others.

          We are asked to share these things with others, that intelligence, that honesty, that forgiveness with others.

          Everything we have is a gift of God.The mercy we show towards others is not strictly from our own bank account or balance sheet of patience …but is really God’s mercy. So, we are running out of patience, feeling short or scarce on mercy, we might ask and pray for more from God, the source of all mercy.

[_03_]      The man in the parable is being praised for what he does to make connections. And, then to use those connections for good.  I’d like to use an example about gratitude and connections and giving back.

          Years ago, my father and mother went to visit my sister in California and while there they went to what my father told me was a famous golf course and restaurant on the golf course. It is called Torrey Pines in San Diego.

          My father said they went there for lunch because dinner was going to be way too expensive.

Then, he waited – fearfully – for the bill/check to come at the end of the meal for how expensive it was going to be.

          My father/mother /sister had never been to this restaurant before, had never been to this city before. At the end of the meal, the waiter informs him that the meal is complimentary – it was free, free of charge, it had been paid already. To this day, it remains a mystery and perhaps a mix-up that the meal was free. Maybe it was for someone else.

          Returning to NJ, my father called the restaurant again to find out what the deal is, figuring he is going to get a bill one way or another. It never came. We still do not know. He tried very hard to find out.

[_04_]       When we receive material things from other people, we know that we are supposed to say thank you, to send thank you notes, to acknowledge the gift.

          And, we do those things especially common courtesy for the big gifts.

          But what about the gifts we receive from God? Do we express the same gratitude, go to the same lengths and efforts to thank him, to express our gratitude, in good times and in bad times?

          Do we express gratitude, thankfulness for the little things that are done in our lives?

          We are good at giving thanks for the big bulky items.

          What about the little things of people being in time, making sacrifices for us?

          Do we go to the same length to seek them out and to seek out God’s presence in thanksgiving?

          My father loved telling the story about the free meal at Torrey Pines Golf Club I like telling the story about the gift giver we could not see but yet experienced … do I tell the story with the same enthusiasm to praise God up and down whom I cannot see with the same visibility but yet also experience?

[*** pause ***]

[_05_]       Also, we remember that mercy and forgiveness are hard projects to undertake.

          It is hard to forgive those who hurt us deeply. And, for this we need not only our own logic and intelligence, to forgive.

          But, we need God to intervene with his grace, with the precious blood and water of salvation.

          We need prayer, fasting, sacrifice to forgive others… it may take multiple “calls back” to find our way to Him as our source, and we can give credit to him for all the gifts that we receive. [_fin_]