Living out our faith to the fullest

 

Today's gospel from Luke 16:1-8 is puzzling even shocking for it is all about an unjust steward who is held up as an example for us. He was denounced for being wasteful with his master's goods. He is told to draw up an account of his dealings as he is going to be dismissed from his position. What can I do to save my future, he asks himself as he realizes that he is too weak for manual work and ashamed to beg for his living. So he decides to ingratiate himself with those who are indebted to his master by reducing the amount that they owe him. The debtors go along with him, showing that they are as unjust as the steward. Even the master condones his trickery. Jesus praises him, not for robbing and cheating his master but for the effort he made to protect his life. Jesus wishes that we would make such efforts to live our faith in him. We do love God our creator and we thank Jesus for his death and resurrection but there always seems to be so many other things that we have to do and then we feel that we have done so much that we need to relax and take it easy. We often leave Jesus out. He expected that his disciples would accompany in his prayer in his anguish in the garden of Olives, but when he went to them, he found that they were sleeping. Dear Lord, help us to be continually awake to all that you have done for us so that we may respond by dedicating much more of our time to you and the service of our neighbours.

 

Don Hornsey