Gospel: November 8, 2024
31st Week in Ordinary Time
Psalter: Week 3 / (Green)
Responsorial Psalm: Ps 122: 1-2, 3-4ab, 4cd-5
Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
1st Reading: Philippians 3: 17—4: 1
Unite in imitating me, brothers and sisters, and look at those who walk in our way of life. For many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. I have said it to you many times, and now I repeat it with tears: they are heading for ruin; their belly is their god, and they feel proud of what should be their shame. They only think of earthly things.
For us, our citizenship is in heaven, from where we await the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ, the Lord. He will transfigure our lowly body, making it like his own body, radiant in glory, through the power which is his, to submit everything to himself.
Therefore, my brothers and sisters, whom I love and long for you, my glory and crown, be steadfast in the Lord.
Gospel: Luke 16: 1-8
At another time Jesus told his disciples, “There was a rich man, whose steward was reported to him for fraudulent service. He summoned the steward and asked him: ‘What is this I hear about you? I want you to render an account of your service for it is about to be terminated.’
The steward thought to himself: ‘What am I to do now? My master will surely dismiss me. I am not strong enough to do hard work, and I am ashamed to beg. I know what I will do: I must make sure that when I am dismissed, there will be some people to welcome me into their house.’
So he called his master’s debtors one by one. He asked the first who came: ‘How much do you owe my master?’ The reply was: ‘A hundred jars of oil.’ The steward said: ‘Here is your bill. Sit down quickly and write there 50.’ To the second he put the same question: ‘How much do you owe?’ The answer was: ‘A hundred measures of wheat.’ Then he said: ‘Take your bill and write 80.’
The master commended the dishonest steward for his astuteness. For the people of this world are more astute in dealing with their own kind than are the people of light.
Reflection:
“Act with astuteness”
In carrying out our mission in the world today, we seldom run out of inspiration. Often, what we lack are the needed strategy to realize our mission for the benefit of the people at large. The Gospel passage for today narrates what is commonly known as the parable of the shrewd steward or manager. The master learned of the steward’s fraudulent service and asked him to render a full account of his service. His master was about to terminate him. The steward thought of a way that there would be people to receive him once he is terminated by his master. The steward successfully devised a scheme by which he lessened the loans of those who owed his master.
Those whose loans were reduced then owed him an owe of gratitude. In the end, his master commended the steward for acting wisely. The Gospel passage ends with the challenge posed to the people of the light to also act wisely similar to what the shrewd steward did in the Gospel. It is a great challenge to every Christian community to strategize the work of evangelization.
