Daily Readings - Fri Nov 05 2021
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, responsibility, and the wise use of the gifts and resources entrusted to us. In the first reading from Romans, St. Paul speaks of his own stewardship as a minister of the Gospel. He humbly acknowledges the grace God has given him to serve the Gentiles and to spread the Gospel far and wide. Paul takes pride not in his own achievements but in the work Christ accomplishes through him. His words remind us that our lives are not our own but are entrusted to us for the service of others and the glory of God.
In the Gospel, Jesus tells the parable of the shrewd steward, a man who, faced with losing his position, acts prudently to secure his future. While the steward’s actions may seem morally ambiguous, Jesus uses this story to highlight the wisdom of using worldly resources in a way that builds lasting relationships and secures eternal benefits. The sons of this world, Jesus notes, often show more ingenuity in managing temporal affairs than do the sons of light. This challenges us to consider how we use the resources, talents, and time God has given us. Are we as clever and intentional about living for God as others are about living for the world?
These readings call us to reflect on our own stewardship of God’s gifts. Like Paul, we are called to use our talents and resources to serve others and to build up the Body of Christ. Like the shrewd steward, we are invited to think creatively and act wisely, not for selfish gain, but for the sake of eternal treasures. Let us ask ourselves: How am I using what God has given me? Am I living in a way that reflects my ultimate purpose—to love God and to love my neighbor? May we strive to be faithful stewards, using all that we have to glorify God and to prepare for the eternal life that awaits us.