Be Smart – Sincere In Using Mammon!

Missionary Weekly Reflection
Twenty Fifth Sunday of Ordinary Time, 22 September 2019
Am. 8:4-7; Ps. 113:1-2,4- 6,7-8; 1Tim. 2:1-8; Luk. 16:1-13 (Luk. 16:10-13)

This is the most difficult parable. The indeed dishonest treasurer was praised and set as a model! God’s story is full of surprise. Just name some stories: ‘a Samaritan was made as an example, instead of the priest or the Levi. Or, ‘all workers were just paid equally in spite of different working hours’. Or, ‘a thief who came at midnight was made as an illustration of the coming of Lord’s Son’. The “bad” figures are often presented, not to emulate their attitude, but to learn from one of their actions.

So is in this story. Jesus certainly does not want His listeners to emulate the dishonesty of the treasurer. He just focuses on the shrewdness and agility in taking a decision in facing a crisis. God only wants to praise that part, not his corruption nor guile. First message: “Children of light” must emulate the agility of “the children of this world”, that is: must instantly decide to follow Jesus (v. 8). Do not live in leisure and laziness without reflecting the urgency of the demand of Lord’s Kingdom, which has been presented in Jesus’ personality and work. That is the most explicit meaning, because the treasurer’s shrewdness that is praised by the master. In this case, Jesus’ message to His listeners is similar to His invitation in Matt. 10:16 “be shrewd as serpents and simple as dove.” Jesus Christ’s followers are demanded to remain clever, smart, agile in their role and competition without being cunning. All God’s disciples must remain sincere, true and authentic. But being sincere does not mean plain, naive and obedient to falsehood and guile!

Second message: related to the background of Jesus’ era. The treasurer who was said to be fired instantly removed the excess of the origin debt which was supposed to be his rights. He had lent his master’s money to several people with higher interest than it should be. That is his “commission” that was removed from the new debt note. By this way, he showed himself to be generous to those debtors. This generosity was that would be rewarded after his dismissal. God’s message is clear: “bind up friendship with false mammon” (v. 9). Wealth should be used to make friendship and have more friends.

Another opinion said the treasurer did cut people’s debt to his master. For what purpose? To raise his master’s honor. A rich man who is incompetent in managing his treasure will lose respect in the society. In the culture of upholding the principle of “honor – shame”, the master’s honor was restored by his treasurer by cutting off those debts. His action did make his master lose economically, but it raised his master’s pride in the society. Therefore, the treasurer was praised by his master. Thus, the third message is clear: when we are still alive, we must manage our wealth in order to restore and raise the human’s dignity and for the glory of God. Why? Because after we die, the wealth alias mammon “can not help anymore” (v. 9). But when the time comes, you and I will be definitely welcome by the Father and all our friends who have reached “the eternal tent” before us.

(Hortensio Mandaru – Indonesia Bible Society, Jakarta)

DAILY DEDICATED PRAYER

Lord, our Father, I present my today prayer, thought, word, work, joy and sorrow in the unity with Your Son, Jesus Christ, who always presents Himself in the Eucharist for the world salvation. May the Holy Spirit, as the soul of Jesus, also lead and give me the strength today so that I am ready to be the witness of Your love.

Together with St. Mary, Mother of Jesus and the Church, I specially present my prayer to our Pope and Indonesian Church prayer apostles of this month:

For Evangelization intention:

Protection to the sea: May all politicians, scientists, economists be able to work together in protecting and conserving the ocean and world sea. We pray…

For Indonesian Church intention:

Joyful Herald: By constantly appreciating the Holy Bible, may all Catholics be enabled to interpret each profession as an opportunity to be a Joyful Herald to all human kinds. We pray…

Special intention:

May the people in our Diocese always give thanks to the accompaniment of the angels who are Lord’s messenger as the expression of Divine Providence so that Divine wisdom would support the Church. We pray…

Amen