Parable Of The Unjust Steward

NOVEMBER 04, 2022, FRIDAY

MEMORIAL OF SAINT CHARLES BORROMEO, BISHOP (White)

CYCLE C - YEAR II

Lectionary: 489

Reading 1

PHIL 3:17—4:1

Join with others in being imitators of me, brothers and sisters, 

and observe those who thus conduct themselves 

according to the model you have in us.

For many, as I have often told you 

and now tell you even in tears, 

conduct themselves as enemies of the cross of Christ.

Their end is destruction.

Their God is their stomach; 

their glory is in their “shame.”

Their minds are occupied with earthly things.

But our citizenship is in heaven, 

and from it we also await a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

He will change our lowly body

to conform with his glorified Body 

by the power that enables him also 

to bring all things into subjection to himself.

Therefore, my brothers and sisters,

whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, 

in this way stand firm in the Lord, beloved.  

 

Responsorial Psalm

PS 122:1-2, 3-4AB, 4CD-5

R. (1) Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.

I rejoiced because they said to me,

“We will go up to the house of the LORD.”

And now we have set foot

within your gates, O Jerusalem.

R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.

Jerusalem, built as a city

with compact unity.

To it the tribes go up,

the tribes of the LORD.

R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.

According to the decree for Israel,

to give thanks to the name of the LORD.

In it are set up judgment seats,

seats for the house of David.

R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.

 

 

Alleluia

1 JOHN 2:5

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Whoever keeps the word of Christ,

the love of God is truly perfected in him.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

LK 16:1-8

Jesus said to his disciples, “A rich man had a steward

who was reported to him for squandering his property.

He summoned him and said,

‘What is this I hear about you?

Prepare a full account of your stewardship,

because you can no longer be my steward.’

The steward said to himself, ‘What shall I do,

now that my master is taking the position of steward away from me?

I am not strong enough to dig and I am ashamed to beg.

I know what I shall do so that,

when I am removed from the stewardship,

they may welcome me into their homes.’

He called in his master’s debtors one by one.

To the first he said, ‘How much do you owe my master?’

He replied, ‘One hundred measures of olive oil.’

He said to him, ‘Here is your promissory note.

Sit down and quickly write one for fifty.’

Then to another he said, ‘And you, how much do you owe?’

He replied, ‘One hundred measures of wheat.’  

He said to him, ‘Here is your promissory note;

write one for eighty.’

And the master commended that dishonest steward for acting prudently.

For the children of this world

are more prudent in dealing with their own generation

than the children of light.”

GOSPEL REFLECTION:

Jesus calls me to take care of the resources that are available to me. I consider the benefits that I have - such as intelligence, opportunities and time - and ask God how I might use them best for God's glory, for the service of others and for my own growth.

PRAYER:

Lord, you are telling me to be cute, by using wisely whatever wealth I have. Having money is a responsibility. I can use it selfishly, or with a sensitivity to others’ needs. God gave us temporal things to use. My wealth consists not in what I keep but in what I gave away. You will judge me by how I use the things of which I am only a steward. The only riches we take from this world are those we have given away.

You Cannot Serve Two Masters

SEPTEMBER 18, 2022, SUNDAY

Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Green)

CYCLE C - YEAR II

Lectionary: 135

Reading 1

Am 8:4-7

Hear this, you who trample upon the needy

 and destroy the poor of the land!

 "When will the new moon be over," you ask,

 "that we may sell our grain,

 and the sabbath, that we may display the wheat?

 We will diminish the ephah,

 add to the shekel,

 and fix our scales for cheating!

 We will buy the lowly for silver,

 and the poor for a pair of sandals;

 even the refuse of the wheat we will sell!"

 The LORD has sworn by the pride of Jacob:

 Never will I forget a thing they have done!

Responsorial Psalm

Ps 113:1-2, 4-6, 7-8

R. (cf. 1a, 7b) Praise the Lord who lifts up the poor.

or:

R. Alleluia.

Praise, you servants of the LORD,

 praise the name of the LORD.

Blessed be the name of the LORD

 both now and forever.

R. Praise the Lord who lifts up the poor.

or:

R. Alleluia.

High above all nations is the LORD;

 above the heavens is his glory.

Who is like the LORD, our God, who is enthroned on high

 and looks upon the heavens and the earth below?

R. Praise the Lord who lifts up the poor.

or:

R. Alleluia.

He raises up the lowly from the dust;

 from the dunghill he lifts up the poor

to seat them with princes,

 with the princes of his own people.

R. Praise the Lord who lifts up the poor.

or:

R. Alleluia.

Reading 2

1 Tm 2:1-8

Beloved:

First of all, I ask that supplications, prayers,

petitions, and thanksgivings be offered for everyone,

for kings and for all in authority,

that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life

in all devotion and dignity.

This is good and pleasing to God our savior,

who wills everyone to be saved

and to come to knowledge of the truth.

For there is one God.

There is also one mediator between God and men,

     the man Christ Jesus,

who gave himself as ransom for all.

This was the testimony at the proper time.

For this I was appointed preacher and apostle

— I am speaking the truth, I am not lying —,

teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.

It is my wish, then, that in every place the men should pray,

lifting up holy hands, without anger or argument.

Alleluia

Cf. 2 Cor 8:9

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Though our Lord Jesus Christ was rich, he became poor,

so that by his poverty you might become rich.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

Lk 16:1-13

Jesus said to his disciples,

"A rich man had a steward

who was reported to him for squandering his property.

He summoned him and said,

'What is this I hear about you?

Prepare a full account of your stewardship,

because you can no longer be my steward.'

The steward said to himself, 'What shall I do,

now that my master is taking the position of steward away from me?

I am not strong enough to dig and I am ashamed to beg.

I know what I shall do so that,

when I am removed from the stewardship,

they may welcome me into their homes.'

He called in his master's debtors one by one.

To the first he said,

'How much do you owe my master?'

He replied, 'One hundred measures of olive oil.'

He said to him, 'Here is your promissory note.

Sit down and quickly write one for fifty.'

Then to another the steward said, 'And you, how much do you owe?'

He replied, 'One hundred kors of wheat.'

The steward said to him, 'Here is your promissory note;

write one for eighty.'

And the master commended that dishonest steward for acting prudently.

"For the children of this world

are more prudent in dealing with their own generation

than are the children of light.

I tell you, make friends for yourselves with dishonest wealth,

so that when it fails, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.

The person who is trustworthy in very small matters

is also trustworthy in great ones;

and the person who is dishonest in very small matters

is also dishonest in great ones.

If, therefore, you are not trustworthy with dishonest wealth,

who will trust you with true wealth?

If you are not trustworthy with what belongs to another,

who will give you what is yours?

No servant can serve two masters.

He will either hate one and love the other,

or be devoted to one and despise the other.

You cannot serve both God and mammon."

Or

Lk 16:10-13

Jesus said to his disciples:

"The person who is trustworthy in very small matters

is also trustworthy in great ones;

and the person who is dishonest in very small matters

is also dishonest in great ones.

If, therefore, you are not trustworthy with dishonest wealth,

who will trust you with true wealth?

If you are not trustworthy with what belongs to another,

who will give you what is yours?

No servant can serve two masters.

He will either hate one and love the other,

or be devoted to one and despise the other.

You cannot serve both God and mammon."

GOSPEL REFLECTION: 

You & money: What choice do you make? What may thinks important, God holds incontempt? The opposite is also true, on which side do I find myself?

PRAYER: 

"How blessed I anyone who fears the Lord,

Who delights on His commandments!

His descendants shall be powerful on earth,

The race of the honest shall receive blessings."

(Psalm 112, 1-2)

Parable Of The Unjust Steward

NOVEMBER 05, 2021, FRIDAY
Friday of the Thirty-first Week in Ordinary Time (Green)
CYCLE B - YEAR I
Lectionary: 489

Reading I
Rom 15:14-21

I myself am convinced about you, my brothers and sisters,
that you yourselves are full of goodness,
filled with all knowledge, and able to admonish one another.
But I have written to you rather boldly in some respects to remind you,
because of the grace given me by God
to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles
in performing the priestly service of the Gospel of God,
so that the offering up of the Gentiles may be acceptable,
sanctified by the Holy Spirit.
In Christ Jesus, then, I have reason to boast in what pertains to God.
For I will not dare to speak of anything
except what Christ has accomplished through me
to lead the Gentiles to obedience by word and deed,
by the power of signs and wonders,
by the power of the Spirit of God,
so that from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum
I have finished preaching the Gospel of Christ.
Thus I aspire to proclaim the Gospel
not where Christ has already been named,
so that I do not build on another’s foundation,
but as it is written:
    Those who have never been told of him shall see,
    and those who have never heard of him shall understand.

Responsorial Psalm
98:1, 2-3ab, 3cd-4

R.    (see 2b) The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.

Sing to the LORD a new song,
    for he has done wondrous deeds;
His right hand has won victory for him,
    his holy arm.

R.    The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.

The LORD has made his salvation known:
    in the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice.
He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulness
    toward the house of Israel.

R.    The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.

All the ends of the earth have seen
    the salvation by our God.
Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands;
    break into song; sing praise.

R.    The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.

Alleluia
1 Jn 2:5

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Whoever keeps the word of Christ,
the love of God is truly perfected in him.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

GOSPEL
Lk 16:1-8

Jesus said to his disciples, “A rich man had a steward
who was reported to him for squandering his property.
He summoned him and said,
‘What is this I hear about you?
Prepare a full account of your stewardship,
because you can no longer be my steward.’
The steward said to himself, ‘What shall I do,
now that my master is taking the position of steward away from me?
I am not strong enough to dig and I am ashamed to beg.
I know what I shall do so that,
when I am removed from the stewardship,
they may welcome me into their homes.’
He called in his master’s debtors one by one.
To the first he said, ‘How much do you owe my master?’
He replied, ‘One hundred measures of olive oil.’
He said to him, ‘Here is your promissory note.
Sit down and quickly write one for fifty.’

Then to another he said, ‘And you, how much do you owe?’
He replied, ‘One hundred measures of wheat.’  
He said to him, ‘Here is your promissory note;
write one for eighty.’
And the master commended that dishonest steward for acting prudently.
For the children of this world
are more prudent in dealing with their own generation
than the children of light.”

REFLECTION:

Jesus calls me to take care of the resources that are available to me. I consider the benefits that I have - such as intelligence, opportunities and time - and ask God how I might use them best for God's glory, for the service of others and for my own growth.

PRAYER:

Lord, you are telling me to be cute, by using wisely whatever wealth I have. Having money is a responsibility. I can use it selfishly, or with a sensitivity to others’ needs. God gave us temporal things to use. My wealth consists not in what I keep but in what I gave away. You will judge me by how I use the things of which I am only a steward. The only riches we take from this world are those we have given away.