by Fr. Tommy Lane
When we studied literature, such as Shakespeare, not every character was one to emulate or copy. Likewise, when we watch a movie, we know that not every character is worthy of imitation. But nevertheless, these characters reflect life, and we can also learn from them. It is the same in the parables that Jesus taught. Not every character is a model for living. But Jesus employed such characters in his parables to teach us what is important for living and, as in the prodigal son, to teach us about the love and mercy of God.
The parable in today’s Gospel (Luke 16:1-13; the parable is 16:1-8a and Jesus’ commentary in 16:8b-13) can, at first, be perplexing. A rich man had a servant, but the servant was not diligent in working for his employer. We are not told what he did or didn’t do. It happened in the past before the parable begins. The parable begins with the employer trying to figure out if what he heard is true or false. The servant feared he would lose his job and to make sure he would have someplace for himself before he could establish himself again, he called in his master’s debtors and reduced the debts they owed. What he removed from their debt was his own commission so that they would only have to pay back the debt to his master and not his own commission. He took the hit himself so he would have people who would look after him when he would need help before getting on the road again. In the parable his master praised him; it was not Jesus who praised him. It was his master in the parable who praised him because he acted prudently in his desperate situation to ensure his future.
Then Jesus uses this parable to teach (Luke 16:8b-13). Jesus said the children of this world are more prudent in the dealings of the world than are the children of light (Luke 16:8b). In other words, those in the world of economics act diligently to ensure their economic future and stability, and are more diligent about doing so than are the children of light. Jesus is the light, and we are the children of light. So, Jesus is challenging us to be diligent about our spiritual lives just as the traders on the floor in Wall Street are diligent about their trades.
Jesus said to use wealth in such a way to be welcomed into eternity (Luke 16:9). In this country we are known for our generosity to appeals. Because of the increasing secularization of this time, in other places people are specifying in their will that they want Mass offered for them after they die because they fear that otherwise it might not happen. People need money while they are alive, but their will gives an opportunity to be caring with their resources after death.
Jesus refers to money as something that is not ours and then refers to what really is ours (Luke 16:12). Money is not ours in the sense that it is passes through our hands—we earn it but then we have to pay bills. It just passes through, and in that sense it is not ours and it is only for this life. Jesus refers to what is ours, what is our very own. That is all that God offers us in the spiritual life. Heaven is ours since baptism; we are children of light since baptism. So, Jesus concludes his advice based on his parable by saying we cannot serve two masters; we can only be devoted to one (Luke 16:13). In our first reading from the prophet Amos (8:4-7), people were choosing the ways of the world over the ways of God because they were tampering with the scales so that they could sell less for the same amount of money and they were impatient for the Jewish holy days to conclude so that they could return to making money. Jesus says we cannot serve two masters; we can only be devoted to one. We have to choose whom to serve: God or the ways of the world—to serve what is not ours and passes through or to be devoted to what is ours for all eternity.
While Jesus urges a correct relationship in economics, the second reading from Paul’s first letter to Timothy (1 Tim 2:1-8) urges prayers for civil authority so that we may continue to practice our faith freely. From our history, we know that we have not always had this freedom, unfortunately. Westminster Hall which we see on our TVs these days, also reminds us that our nearest neighbors also did not always have the opportunity to practice their faith freely. Westminster Hall is where St. Thomas More and John Fisher, the only English bishop to remain completely loyal to the Catholic Church during the time of Henry VIII, were tried and condemned. So, when Pope Benedict XVI visited the UK in 2010, he said in Westminster Hall (September 17, 2010) that religion is not a problem for legislators to solve, but a vital contributor to the national conversation, and that the world of secular rationality and religious belief need one another and should not be afraid of dialoguing for the sake of civilization. In other words, Pope Benedict urged to allow faith to shed light on politics and everything else.
We could say that our first reading and Gospel today urge to allow faith to shed light on economics and our second reading urges to allow faith to shed light on politics. This is because we have to choose whom to serve, the ways of the world or God, what is not ours and is only passing through or what is truly ours and for eternity.
© Fr. Tommy Lane 2022
This homily was delivered in a parish in Ireland.
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