Daily Readings - Fri Nov 08 2019
Romans
14I myself am satisfied about you, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able to instruct one another.15But on some points I have written to you very boldly by way of reminder, because of the grace given me by God16to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles in the priestly service of the gospel of God, so that the offering of the Gentiles may be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.17In Christ Jesus, then, I have reason to be proud of my work for God.18For I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me to bring the Gentiles to obedience--by word and deed,19by the power of signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God--so that from Jerusalem and all the way around to Illyricum I have fulfilled the ministry of the gospel of Christ;20and thus I make it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already been named, lest I build on someone else's foundation,21but as it is written, "Those who have never been told of him will see, and those who have never heard will understand."
Luke
1He also said to the disciples, "There was a rich man who had a manager, and charges were brought to him that this man was wasting his possessions.2And he called him and said to him, 'What is this that I hear about you? Turn in the account of your management, for you can no longer be manager.'3And the manager said to himself, 'What shall I do, since my master is taking the management away from me? I am not strong enough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg.4I have decided what to do, so that when I am removed from management, people may receive me into their houses.'5So, summoning his master's debtors one by one, he said to the first, 'How much do you owe my master?'6He said, 'A hundred measures of oil.' He said to him, 'Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.'7Then he said to another, 'And how much do you owe?' He said, 'A hundred measures of wheat.' He said to him, 'Take your bill, and write eighty.'8The master commended the dishonest manager for his shrewdness. For the sons of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than the sons of light.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the themes of stewardship, wisdom, and faithfulness. In the first reading from Romans, St. Paul speaks of his own mission as a steward of the Gospel, entrusted with the grace to preach to the Gentiles. He humbly acknowledges the gifts God has given him and expresses his confidence in the Roman church, which he believes is filled with love and knowledge. Paul’s words remind us that every Christian has a role to play in spreading the Gospel and building up the Body of Christ. The second reading from Luke presents us with the parable of the dishonest steward, who, faced with losing his position, uses his master’s resources to secure favor with others. While the steward’s actions are morally questionable, Jesus praises his prudence, emphasizing the importance of using worldly resources wisely for eternal purposes.
These readings are connected by the idea of responsibility and the wise use of what has been entrusted to us. Paul sees himself as a steward of God’s grace, while the dishonest steward in the Gospel uses his master’s wealth shrewdly, albeit for self-serving ends. Together, they challenge us to consider how we use the gifts, talents, and resources God has given us. The key is not to hoard them or use them selfishly but to employ them in a way that serves others and advances the Kingdom of God. Just as the steward in the parable thinks ahead to secure his future, we too must think about how our actions today will impact eternity.
In our daily lives, this means being faithful in small things, using our time, talents, and possessions with integrity and purpose. It also means being prudent and forward-thinking, not just for our own benefit but for the good of others. As St. Paul reminds us, we are all called to be ministers of Christ, each in our own way. Let us strive to be wise stewards, using what we have been given to build up the Church and to bring light and hope into a world that so desperately needs it. May we, like Paul, be confident in God’s grace and, like the steward, be shrewd in our pursuit of eternal treasure.