A lousy steward – dishonest - squandering the property of his master – self-centered, doing whatever to buy favors – seeking to protect himself - a surprising example to be held up as someone to imitate in any sense at all – Yet Christ often uses unexpected images and parables to make a dramatic point.
After all, Jesus did compare the kingdom of God to a mustard seed – the mustard plant was a weed – a weed that no one wanted – yet, like a weed, the kingdom will spread everywhere, and one cannot stop it.
Last week, what man having hundred sheep and losing one of them would not leave the ninety-nine and go after the lost one? – The smart one! – but God is foolish – searching out lost – searching for us.
Two weeks ago, to be Christ’s disciple, one must hate “his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sistersand even his own life” – not that hating them is good, but that we must be willing to give up everything for the sake of following Christ -
Today, another shocking example – what point could Jesus be making? What does this self-centered, dishonest steward who has squandered what his master has given him – what does he have to show us? All he seems to care about is himself - Obviously, we do not want to be like this steward – But his maneuver was clever – taking action to take protect himself and look after his needs – and maybe his focus on himself may not be all wrong, even if some, most, of his means are.
St Thomas Aquinas, when considering charity, says a person, “out of charity, ought to love himself more than his neighbor:”– A surprising line - yet there is a logic to it – The second greatest commandment – to love our neighbor as ourselves – but how can one love neighbor as oneself if there is not love of one’s self. To love our neighbors as ourselves assumes that we love ourselves.
Some sort of love of self – or, to use modern psychological terms, “self-care” is expected. It is seen in simple examples. There is a reason on airplanes, in the event of depressurization, the instruction is to always put on one’s own oxygen mask before helping another – it is not possible to help another if one cannot breathe due to a lack of oxygen.
In general, no one goes to a restaurant where the chef will not eat the food he cooks – the cook should be caring for his own dietary needs before mine – When hiring a financial manager for a business, no one hires an accountant who is personally bankrupt. His own finance should be in order before working on someone else’s.
I do not think the out-of-shape personal trainer gets good business; why has he not taken care of his physical fitness? Why should I trust him with my exercise if he does not care for himself?
It seems to be common sense - everyone does this all the time in matters of the world – but what of the spiritual life – we worry about making sure there is food on the table, money in the bank account, no holes in the roof – but what about our souls?
Indeed, as Christ says, “the children of this world are more prudent in dealing with their own generation than are the children of light.” The dishonest steward is all about saving his material situation and caring for his physical life – he is clever and prudent. But what of Christians? Not to the world, but do we look to our souls? Do we take care of our spiritual life?
It is easy to focus on the world – food needs to be on the table, a roof over our heads, and it takes money to keep the electric and heating bills paid. – but what is the world if one loses their soul? What good is mammon? – that which is material will one day fail. Instead – do we know God?
Everyone here comes to Mass – but do we engage in prayer with the Mass – bring our own offerings? – or do we just come because we are supposed to? What of our sins? Do we go to confession – repenting of our sins to be washed clean of them? – or do we just move on, assuming we are doing fine? Do we read spiritual reading, trying to know about God? Do we put time aside for God in prayer? Do we talk with God? Do we look and ask for God’s graces?
Things that are so important to the spiritual life – to care for our souls – things we should do if we genuinely care for ourselves. – always serving God – ready so that, when material things fail, we may be welcomed into eternal dwellings.
The dishonest server shows how we should care for ourselves – but he is only looking at the world, seeking to serve mammon. He does it cleverly, taking full advantage of everything he can. But no one can serve two masters – and when the material world fails, where will he be?
Let us learn to be clever and prudent – taking advantage of what is available, similarly to the dishonest steward - looking to care for ourselves – but unlike the steward, let us not serve the world, but look to our souls – not serving mammon, but serving God in all things – that we may be welcomed into the eternal dwellings of heaven.