Faithfulness in Stewardship

 Reflection on Today's Readings, Friday of 31st Week in Ordinary Time, Year 1, November 5th, 2021
Texts: Romans 15: 14-21; Ps. 98: I .2-4; Luke 16:1-8
St. Paul was a man who appreciated the mandate given him by God and carried it out with pride and to the enviable of everyone. We are to emulate him in this way of life. Each of us has an assignment to carry out for God; let us carry it out with pride and joy. He was so clear about his mandate, what he was to do. He was clear that his mandate was to go to the Gentiles. He was to proclaim the gospel to them and to make their offerings acceptable to God. He  left no stone unturned in this regard. Despite that the Church in Rome was well founded in knowledge and able to instruct one another, because of his divine mandate, he extended his solicitude to them. We are called to be the salt of the earth and light of the world. We need to ask ourselves some questions. Am I really salt to people around me? Do I bring them peace and joy? Am I the light to the people around me? Do I show them the way? Let us carry out the mandate to be the salt of the earth and light of the world seriously.
Today, in the gospel reading, Jesus tells us a parable about a steward who was dishonest and tried to secure his future before being dismissed. We are not to be like the steward in the manner he carried out his assignment. Let us be honest in whatever we do and say. Though the steward was dishonest, there is something to emulate about him: we are to emulate his drive to secure his future.  We need to be awake to the reality  that there is a  future that lies ahead of us. We need to use the opportunity we have now to secure a future full of love, peace and joy for ourselves. We are to spend our earth to gain heaven. We are not to live as if there is no life beyond here and now.
It is said, "The master commended the dishonest steward for his prudence; for the sons of this world are wiser in their own generation than the sons of light.” Here, Jesus reminds us how complacent we are in our pursuit of heavenly kingdom. While the people of this world put their best in pursuit of earthly gain, we show unconcerned attitude towards our pursuit of heaven. Jesus calls us, today, to be wise and active in our pursuit of heavenly kingdom; we need to employ every possible means available to gain salvation. We have to employ every possible means to carry out the mandate given to us by God. Let us be alive and active as we pursue heaven.

Lord God, thank You for the mandate you have given us, fill us with knowledge and enthusiasm to carry it out to Your own glory and the benefit of humanity. Amen.

Fr. Andrew Olowomuke