
EIGHTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
EPISTLE (ROMANS 8:12-17)
12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13 For if you live according to the flesh, you shall die: but if by the Spirit you mortify the deeds of the flesh, you shall live. 14 For whosoever are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. 15 For you have not received the spirit of bondage again in fear; but you have received the spirit of adoption of sons, whereby we cry: Abba (Father).
16 For the Spirit himself giveth testimony to our spirit, that we are the sons of God. 17 And if sons, heirs also; heirs indeed of God, and joint heirs with Christ: yet so, if we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified with him.
GOSPEL (LUKE 16:1-9)
1 And he said also to his disciples: There was a certain rich man who had a steward: and the same was accused unto him, that he had wasted his goods. 2 And he called him, and said to him: How is it that I hear this of thee? give an account of thy stewardship: for now thou canst be steward no longer. 3 And the steward said within himself: What shall I do, because my lord taketh away from me the stewardship? To dig I am not able; to beg I am ashamed. 4 I know what I will do, that when I shall be removed from the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses. 5 Therefore calling together every one of his lord's debtors, he said to the first: How much dost thou owe my lord? 6 But he said: An hundred barrels of oil. And he said to him: Take thy bill and sit down quickly, and write fifty. 7 Then he said to another: And how much dost thou owe? Who said: An hundred quarters of wheat. He said to him: Take thy bill, and write eighty. 8 And the lord commended the unjust steward, forasmuch as he had done wisely: for the children of this world are wiser in their generation than the children of light. 9 And I say to you: Make unto you friends of the mammon of iniquity; that when you shall fail, they may receive you into everlasting dwellings.
THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH
Her Doctrine and Morals
Eighth Sunday after Pentecost
22 July 2007
Dear Friends,
Today's Gospel gives us much to think about concerning all that we have been given charge over. All that we have is not really our own such that we can do whatever we wish with it.
If we consider first our very lives we see clearly that our lives are not our own. Life is given by God, but it is not given in such a manner that He renounces His power or authority over that very life. On the contrary, in the fifth commandment God has forbidden us to ever take away this life that He has given. The evilness of the murder of the pre-born (euphemistically called abortion) becomes shockingly clear when we consider our stewardship over life. What will so many answer when they can be stewards no longer and must give an account of the lives that God has placed in their care? Will they claim that the lives they have taken were nothing more than the tissues of their own bodies? Do they really think that God is going to believe this? Do they wish to lie to God? Do they think they can deceive Him?
Which brings us to the next question, what about our health? What does God expect us to do to care for our own bodies? The Church clearly states that we must use reasonable care to maintain our health. Too often people are careless with their health and have a very reckless attitude. They think that it is all right because they have insurance or they presumptuously think that God will preserve them. They seek pleasure at the cost of destroying their own health. This too is a sin against the fifth commandment.
On the other extreme are the many who would try to preserve life at all costs. They place a higher value on this physical life and body than it is actually worth. We were not made for this world, this is not our home, and we must die. We are fools when we try to resist the will of God and prolong our existence on this earth beyond what He wills. We spend hundreds of thousands and even millions of dollars to keep the organs of this body functioning just as long as we can. Why? Have we lost all faith in an afterlife? Do we consider ourselves as gods with the right to preserve life as long as we can? When a loved one dies it is a painful separation, and is even unbearable if we lack faith. But, for those who have faith the sorrow is softened by the knowledge of the justice of God and the hope of an eternal reward.
We are all stewards of our lives and health and will have to give an account on the day of judgment. Let us prepare ourselves now so that we will be able to give a good accounting for these gifts that God has placed in our care.
Let us next consider the natural gifts and talents that God has given us. Do we have wisdom, intelligence, strength, agility, beauty, artistic talent, etc.? Whatever talents or traits God has given us are likewise not our own. We must give an account on the day of judgment for what we have done with the gifts that God has placed in our care. We are not free to ignore or leave undeveloped what God has given us. Our talents must not be buried in the ground, but must be invested and put to work so that they will bring a benefit to the Master who has entrusted them to our care. Laziness and carelessness in the development of our talents is a sin against God. We are not free to do with these talents what we want.
Much less are we free to prostitute the talents that God has given us for the furtherance of evil desires or goals. Natural beauty was not given to some by God so that they may entice and lead others into sin. Intelligence was not given to others so that they might manipulate and lord it over others who were not so gifted. Etc. The gifts and talents that God has placed in our care are not our own, but are His and He expects us to use them for His honor and glory and for the good of our fellow men. Whatever gift or talent we may have must be put to good use for the furtherance of God's will and the benefit of others. Principally the benefit we are working for is that of eternal happiness.
Lastly, we must consider the material things of this earth. Here too we must avoid both extremes of being careless with these gifts and not developing them, and the other extreme of sacrificing everything else to preserve them _ even at the cost of our eternal lives. These too are not our own to do with as we please. We are but stewards in this matter also, and will have to give an account. Money, power, property, etc. are wonderful gifts from God, but are all too often the very instruments of our damnation because we forget that we are only stewards and not their owners. When we loose sight of the fact that these are given to us so that we may serve God better, then instead of being the stewards of these things we tend to become the slaves of these material things. This is the mammon that the majority of the world serves.
posted by bridget