Teclus Ugwueze (Rev Fr)
“You cannot serve both God and mammon.” (Luke 16:13)
Dear
brothers and sisters in Christ, The Word of God this Sunday speaks with rare
clarity, and perhaps uncomfortable directness, about something that touches all
of our lives, often in hidden ways: money, and more deeply, our attitude toward
it. Each of today’s readings forces us to confront a fundamental question: Whom
or what do I serve?
A.
The Cry of the Poor: Amos and the Condemnation of Injustice
We begin with the prophet Amos, one of the most fiery voices for social justice in all of Scripture. He does not aim his words at pagans or outsiders, but at the covenant people, those who worship God outwardly, yet trample on the poor.
He condemns the merchants who long for the end of the Sabbath, not to pray, but to exploit: “We will diminish the ephah, add to the shekel, and fix our scales for cheating!” (Amos 8:5). Their desire is not to honour God or uphold justice, but to profit at any cost, even by enslaving others economically.
This is
not merely a lesson in ancient economics, it is a mirror held up to the modern
world. Wherever profit is placed above people, wherever the vulnerable are
reduced to numbers, the cry of Amos echoes. The Lord, says the prophet, “will
not forget” such deeds.
B.
The Church in the World: Paul’s Call to Prayer and Peace
In the second reading, St. Paul gives us another important dimension: how the Christian should live within society. He urges that “supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone, for kings and all in authority” (1 Tim 2:1-2). Why?
Because
the Christian must never withdraw from the world in pious detachment. Rather,
we are called to be leaven within society, working and praying so that, in
Paul’s words, “we may lead quiet and tranquil lives in all devotion and
dignity.”
This is not passive disengagement, it is a call to holy influence. To intercede. To be, in the words of the Second Vatican Council, “the soul of the world”. And this includes the realm of economics, politics, and culture. Our witness must shape society, not the other way around.
C. The Parable of the Shrewd Steward: What Are We Investing In?
Then we come to today’s Gospel, a parable that has puzzled many.
Jesus
tells the story of a steward who is dishonest, yet shrewd. When he’s caught
squandering his master’s property, he devises a clever plan to secure his
future by reducing debts and winning favour with his master’s debtors.
Surprisingly, the master commends his prudence.
What
are we to make of this?
Jesus is not praising dishonesty, but rather pointing to the urgency and creativity with which people pursue earthly security, and asking why His disciples are often less energetic about eternal matters.
“The children of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than are the children of light.” (Luke 16:8)
How often we invest time, effort, and ingenuity into things that will pass away, careers, reputations, comforts, while treating the Kingdom of God as an afterthought.
The steward acted decisively because he knew judgment was coming. So must we. We are stewards, not owners, of what we possess, our time, talents, resources, and influence. The question is: Are we managing them with eternity in view?
Jesus concludes with one of the most powerful moral teachings in the Gospel: “No servant can serve two masters… You cannot serve both God and mammon.”
Here He
draws a sharp line: either God is our Master, or money is. We cannot divide our
loyalty. Money is a useful servant, but a terrible god. It promises security,
but never satisfies. And if it governs our choices, it inevitably corrupts our
soul.
D.
What Does It Mean to Be Faithful?
Jesus
says, “Whoever is faithful in little things is faithful also in great.”
In other words, faithfulness begins in the hidden, ordinary moments, how we
speak, how we spend, how we treat others when no one is watching. The soul is
formed in these “small things,” and the Kingdom is built by them.
This
Sunday invites each of us to examine:
- Do I
treat money and possessions as tools, or do they control me?
- Do I
act with integrity in my work, especially where there is pressure to
compromise?
- Do I
use my time and gifts to serve the common good?
- And
ultimately: Do I live as if eternity matters?
E.
Conclusion: Serving the One True Master
Dear friends, Christ does not condemn material things, but He insists that they must serve higher purposes. We are called to be shrewd, yes, but shrewd in righteousness, investing our lives in the things that last: truth, charity, justice, mercy.
We serve a Master who gave everything, not to enrich Himself, but to save us. Let us not give Him less than our whole heart in return.
May the Eucharist we celebrate today strengthen us to live not for mammon, but for the living God, and to store up treasure, not in vaults, but in heaven.
To Him be
honour and eternal dominion. Amen. (1 Tim 6:16)
Concluding
Prayer:
Lord God,
You call us to serve You with undivided hearts,
and to be
wise stewards of all You entrust to us.
Free us
from the slavery of mammon, and set our hearts on the things that endure.
Grant
that we may seek first Your Kingdom, live lives of integrity, and bear witness
to the Gospel in word and deed.
We ask
this through Christ our Lord. Amen
