FRIDAY NOVEMBER 10, 2023
FRIDAY OF THE THIRTY FIRST WEEK OF THE ORDINARY TIME A
SAINT LEO THE GREAT, Pp.
Romans 15:14-21
Luke 16:1-8
BEING FORTHRIGHT AND WISE IN THE THINGS OF GOD
The question asked today in the gospel calls us to examine how we handle our journey to eternity. What are we doing to secure our eternal life? And to what extent are we doing to guarantee ourselves the joys, happiness and peace of the future.
Jesus uses the argument of the worldly person to detail for us how wise and to what extent the materially minded and worldly persons can go to secure their earthly happiness and sustenance. Meaning that the worldly persons are very wise in matters that concerns their life here on earth. They do all it takes in their worldly ways and style to guarantee themselves the joys, happiness and sustenance of their lives here on earth.
Although these things are carried out in their own worldly ways filled with swindling, cheating, bribing and buying of friends and making themselves look secure in the eyes of others to attract friendship, pity and compassion. This was what the dishonest steward who knew he would be striped of his stewardship did. He used his master’s goods in the hands of his friends and debtors to be safe and gain honour and sustenance for his future.
Such wisdom and insight into caring for his future in the worldly style is praised by Christ. And Jesus uses this to drive home the point that we who are citizens of heaven must also strive earnestly and astutely to secure our eternal joy, peace and sustenance using the sacred, divine and supernatural principles.
Jesus points to us our goal in life being the attainment of eternal happiness and directs us to bring all efforts as this dishonest steward did in making sure that we gain our eternal happiness and sustenance in the world to come. And the precise ways in which we can achieve this is not rightly stated, yet he points to what the steward did, winning friends, by using the material possession of his master.
How well are we preparing and really guaranteed of our eternal sustenance and happiness? What are we using to win this also?
In Saint Paul’s letter to the Romans, our first reading today, Paul exhorts the Christian community for they are full of “knowledge and goodness”. And the other ingredient to the future happiness is carefulness, earnestness and diligence. All these Saint Paul urges from the Christian faithful.
Let us then act fast by putting up these. Being diligent, forthright, serious and consciously living with goodness of heart and sincerity of mind propelled by wisdom and knowledge to store and secure our future happiness and eternal salvation.
Heavenly Father, our world is deep and distracting, with so much fighting against us. The lure of the flesh pulling us hard, the beauty of your world strongly enticing us and cunning of men tempting us. Lord, protect, preserve and sustain our lives against these tensions. Give us a forthright spirit, decisive mind never to swerve from the ways of our eternal salvation no matter the pull we receive. Grant us the disposition to strive always to win our eternal happiness and life by our goodness of heart, full knowledge of your will and the strength to follow in all conditions through Christ our Lord.
Fr Norbert Uchuno
