YEAR C (22 SEPTEMBER 2019)
DOCTRINE AND FAITH(Amos 8, 4-7; 1 Timothy 2, 1-8; Luke 16, 1-13: Year C, 2019)
The prophetic oracle, in the first reading from prophet Amos, is one of condemnation. Here, the prophet denounces unscrupulous merchants for their false piety, their avarice, their dishonest business practices, and their exploitation of the poor and defenceless. The celebration at the beginning of the new moon included sumptuous feasts and specific sacrifices (cf. Num 28, 11-15). As was the case with the observance of the Sabbaths, all business was suspended. While the merchants appear to have observed these religious obligations, they did so hypocritically, for in the midst of the celebration they were eager to resume their dishonest business. The poor referred to in this passage are those who do not have lands, and no harvest of their own crop but must purchase grain and wheat for their food. Thus they are dependent on the honesty of the merchants, who not only measure out the produce on their own scales but who are in a position to determine the prices to be paid for the staple food people need to live on. These poor are the people who are frequently brought to such extremes of poverty that they are forced to sell themselves into slavery in order to survive.
These are the very people who are victimised by the unscrupulous merchants to whom this oracle is addressed and who cheat their customers in several ways. The last verse of the first reading reports the judgment of God which is passed in the form of an irrevocable oath: Never will I forget a single thing you have done. In the second reading, 1 Timothy 2,1-8, Paul instructs Timothy to see that prayers are offered publicly for the salvation of all.
The first three types of prayer mentioned are various forms of petition, and the fourth kind, thanksgiving(eucharistia), adds gratitude to the reasons for praying. The major point of this instruction seems to be the all-inclusive scope of Christian prayer. Twice Paul states that prayers should be offered for all people (vv. 1,4). Special attention is given to civic leaders. This indicates that Christianity was not fundamentally inimical toward those who wielded worldly power. Two reasons for such prayer are given. The first appears to be pragmatic: Pray for them so that you can experience peace in their midst. However, a closer examination shows that the goal of their prayer is really not simply peace but, rather, the salvation of others. Paul is urging prayer for the conversion of the leaders. If they are converted, then they will recognise and accept the teachings of the gospel, and all will be able to live tranquil lives. If the Church enjoys a congenial relationship with civic authorities, its members will be able publicly to live out the values they espouse.
The second listed reason for praying for these officials is the primary reason: It is God's will to do so. It is God's will that all come to know the one God and Christ Jesus, the only mediator between God and humankind(anthropos). Belief in the universality of salvation through Christ should spur the Christians on to this kind of prayer. Not only through preaching will all women and men be converted to the gospel but through prayer as well. The reading concludes with a final injunction to pray in every place with hands uplifted, a common posture for prayer. The gospel narrative, Luke 16,1-13, is the story of the steward or household manager(oikonomos) who rewrote the debts of his employer in order to ensure a financial future for himself after he is dismissed. He decides to alter the accounts of his master's debtors. This gives us insight into the character of the man. He was not careful enough when managing the household resources for his master's benefit, but he is more than industrious when his own future is at stake.
The judgment passed on the steward rests on the meaning of the Greek word adikias (v. 8). While the word does mean unrighteous' it usually refers to a violation of a law, to what is against custom rather than what is impious. It is clear the steward has violated customary law. It was his duty to advance his employer's position by enhancing his financial holdings. Instead, he reduced them for his own benefit. Despite this, the master of the household, not Jesus, commends him for acting shrewdly (from phronesis, the word for practical wisdom). Jesus seems to step back from this particular incident and use it to draw a religious conclusion: children of this age (or children of the world) have more practical wisdom than do children of light. In his admonition Jesus interprets several elements from this story in order to point out how children of light should act. He first instructs his disciples to act with the same kind of practical wisdom but to use it to ensure places in an eternal dwelling. He then comments on the character of one's stewardship. The way one handles small matters will determine the way one handles weightier responsibilities. If one cannot exercise practical wisdom when dealing with the mammon or wealth of unrighteousness, how can that one be trusted with the real thing? If one cannot be relied upon
as overseer of the possessions of another, how can that one be deemed adequate to be an independent proprietor? The real point of the story is found in the last verse. Though shrewd in the ways of the world, the steward chose to serve his own financial needs rather than the economic interests of his employer. This made him an unreliable or dishonest servant. One cannot serve both the master of the household (God) and one's own personal interests (mammon). One must choose. The readings for today focus our attention on the proper use of money and the goods of this world. We are creatures of this world. We are made of it, and we are totally dependent upon it for our very existence. We require its air, its water, its food, its heat. We need it for covering and for shelter; we need it to stimulate our minds and our spirits. Therefore, our use of its phenomenal resources cannot in itself be immoral. What is questionable is the character of our use. Being chidden of this world we have right to life which includes the right to eat, to be clothed, to be sheltered, to be nourished by the beauty of the world of which we are a part.
But how much and what quality of food do we have a right to when others who have the right to eat do not have enough to live on? How many changes of clothing do we have a right to when others who have the right to be clothed go naked? How elaborate a home do we have a right to when others who have a right to shelter are homeless? How much beauty do we have a right to when other gentle spirits live in squalor? There are many circumstances that contribute to the complexity of these questions, making them very difficult to answer. Surely the merchant in the passage from Amos had a right to his business. He should not be faulted because he was prosperous while others were poor. Nor should the householder or the steward in the gospel be criticised for trying not to be in need. We cannot be censured for putting resources aside for future use, for the education of children, for possible medical needs, for retirement, even for vacation and celebrations. But how much do we really need? How much do we have a right to? Our consumer, corrupt and greedy society might tell us we have a right to everything we can earn or grab. But do we? In a world of limited resources how much do we have a right to? What does the balance of the natural world tell us, where air, rain, sunshine, etc., are in abundance for every one? What do the legitimate needs of others tell us? What does our religious tradition tell us? There are no easy answers to these questions. We live our lives on the horns of a dilemma. We have the right to use and to enjoy the marvels of our world, but we cannot do this free of responsibility to one another and to the world itself. The men in today's readings are not condemned because of their economic privilege but because they used it only to their own advantage. As Christians we are not merely children of this world; we are also children of light. Paul's admonition to pray for our civic leaders reminds us that we do indeed live in the real world, but we are called to live there according to standards worthy of our calling. We are more than insatiable consumers.
Our value is not found in the measure of our possessions. It is in the quality of our relationships, in particular with our relationships with our deprived sisters and brothers. We are not called to disown the world. It is impossible for us to do that because of our total dependence on it. But we are called to live in it gently, using what we need and sharing what we can. We may never be sure we have made the right decisions in this regard, but we must be ever conscious of our need to grapple with these issues. We are not the only ones involved in our economic decisions, and so we cannot make them lightly. We cannot afford to squander the resources of our world. We must make decisions as trustworthy stewards of the household of God, not like the man in the gospel who was only concerned with his own well-being. We must serve God, not mammon. May we be empowered by the Holy Spirit to always choose to serve God by sharing the goods of life with the less privileged ones. Happy Sunday! +John I. Okoye
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