Homily for Twenty-Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C, 18th September, 2022

  Readings: Amos 8:4-7; Ps.113; 1Tim.2:1-8; Luke 16:1-13

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

THE DISHONEST STEWARD: A LESSON ABOUT WORLDLY CUNNING AND CHRISTIAN CLEVERNESS 

>The elements of good and bad seem inherent in human person, that is why  the world is made up of both good and bad people mixed together. This will help us to understand the reason for corruption, greediness, immoral and social decadence in our world today. For walking through the streets I observed how people are struggling with the things of this passing world, I can feel their passion, their determination and willingness even in the midst of corruption and challenges of life. How I wish we can put such energy in working towards the things that edifice our soul. But the questions we need to ask ourselves are: what is my attitude towards the things of this passing world? Can I be trusted with the things of this passing world no matter how little? As managers of God’s resources, how are we using the things of this passing world, knowing that we are expected to be wise and smart in managing them?

>Little wonder, in the Gospel passage today, Jesus tells us the parable of the dishonest steward who, having acted unjustly and having being exposed by his master, went to great lengths to make friends of his master’s debtors in order to secure his future. In this parable, Jesus is not telling us to be dishonest, but he wants us to learn a lesson about the danger of worldly cunning and the grace of Christian cleverness. For we can learn even from this dishonest servant how to prudently use the things of this  passing world to gain our salvation. Thus, Jesus points out that we too should be smart but not exactly like the dishonest steward, using dishonest wealth to exploit others as most people do today in our society. No, instead we his disciples are to use our wealth to win souls for the kingdom and safe guard our own souls. 

Hence, in this parable, the Lord speaks to us again about the spirit of worldliness: how this worldliness works and how dangerous it can be. And as we know worldliness is an enemy to human souls, and that is why the devil derives great pleasure in seeing us dwell in worldliness just like the dishonest steward. Though some of us may see nothing wrong with the attitude of this dishonest steward because he has only done what most people if not everyone does especially in our country today, where we condole bribery and corruption as a way of survival and success. This ugly attitude is extremely sinful and dehumanizing.

Little wonder Pope Francis,  while addressing this ugly kind of attitudes says that God commands us to live an honest life and bring back home bread for our children through honest means. But most of us like this dishonest steward have chosen to bring back dirty bread of dishonesty for our children and even train and bring them up through dishonest means. Perhaps, today we should pray for many children and adults who receive dirty bread of dishonesty from their parents, especially those who are now hungry for the dignity of honesty.  This is what St. Paul advice us to do in our second reading today when he said: first of all, there should be prayers offered 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. To do this is right, and will please God our saviour: for he wants everyone to be saved and reach full knowledge of the truth

>This is important because bribery and corruption are obvious in our society today and they are serious sins because they are against our human dignity. The dignity by which we are united to God and to one another through our honest labour and not through bribery and corruption. Little wonder God through prophet Amos in our first reading today said: Listen to this, you who trample on the needy and try to suppress the poor people of the country, who can buy up the poor for money, and the needy for a pair of sandal. Never will I forget a single thing you have done. So, we should be careful not to fall into the temptations of money and other worldly pleasures which are trying to lead us away from God and the salvation he has given us.

The fact remains that these corrupt and cunning ways of life dehumanize us, even though it seems to be common in our society today, it doesn’t really make it right. Though, we are not called to be foolish, rather we are meant to know that  there is another road, an alternative route to worldly cunning. It is the path of “Christian cleverness”. This path, Pope Francis says, “allows us to be cunning but not according to the spirit of the world but smartness of God’s wisdom and grace. For Jesus himself said: be wise as serpents, innocent as doves”. Uniting these two realities is the grace that the Lord gives to us when we ask for it.

>Dear friends, today,  we are called to live a life of integrity, to let go of worldly cunning and embrace Christian cleverness. For each and every one of us are called to be good managers and custodians of whatever blessings and resources God has given us. We are all reminded that we have been called to follow the Lord and to devote ourselves to Him wholeheartedly. We must learn to be trusted and ensure that we manage whatever that is entrusted to us. So, we are called to really examine our conscience to know where we are with regards to our vocation as Christians. How can we best harness the things entrusted to us so that they can be sources and means of safeguarding our souls surrounded by corruption and greediness. 

Therefore, we are called today to be wise and smart, for if the worldly minded people can be smart in their dealings, we too should be smarter in our struggles for the salvation of our souls and that of humanity at large. We should utilize the resources available to us and use them to secure our salvation. This is possible if we understand the principle that says that everything we own is a gift from God, then we will realize that God is the owner of everything and that we are His stewards. As such, we are to use the Master’s resources to further the Master’s work and not the contrary. In this contest, we are told to be generous with our resources and use it for the safety of our souls and the growth of God’s kingdom.

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, as we listened to your words today, may we not be carried away by the things of this passing world. Rather give us the grace to live a life of integrity and the skills to manage the resources entrusted to us and use them properly for the salvation of humanity and the development of our societies, we ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a grace filled Sunday celebration.