Money is not the security of the Chu rch
- Fr. JC Rapadas, SVD
- Nov 6, 2019
- 4 min read

St. Augustine has a very good commentary on our Gospel for today. “He surely did not approve of that cheating servant who cheated his master, stole from him and did not make it up from his own pocket. On top of that, he also did some extra pilfering. He caused his master further loss, in order to prepare a little nest of quiet and security for himself after he lost his job. Why did the Lord set this before us?” With instinctive accuracy he hit the point: “It is not because that servant cheated but because he exercised foresight for the future.”
Let us focusing on foresight first. We are reminded of the Exercises of St. Ignatius. In maters of Spiritual desolation and spiritual consolation, when desolation comes, we go back to our experiences of consolation, or the moments of happiness. When spiritual dryness assail us, we are reminded to go back to the happy times that lead us to strengthen our resolve and discernment.
IT Could also be applied to financial matters, especially of the Church.
Our congregation is now experiencing the drying of our coffers. Financial instability is coming to haunt us because we are losing benefactors abroad to old age. I believe it is common to all of us all. As a response, the superiors are encouraging us to tighten the strings of the purse. Our communities are now invited to practice self-sufficiency. This is perhaps the best response to financial instability, one which is befitting our religious identity.
Today God is reminding all of us not to put our trust on financial matters. He has called the steward unrighteous because he has let wealth take hold of him by:
his means in acquiring security
by the way in which one desires to use the wealth;
and because of the corrupting influence wealth can have that often leads people to commit unrighteous acts.
Today we are reminded not to be corrupted by wealth.
God is holding us accountable notably to the money donated to us by people, those that we earn but also of our souls.
God is reminding us that HE is our security and our greatest insurance.
And the best investment isa deep, close and genuine relationship with him.
READINGS
FIRST READING
Rom 15:14-21
A minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles, so that the offering up of the Gentiles may be acceptable.
A reading from the Letter of Saint Paul to the Romans
I myself am convinced about you, my brothers and sisters,
that you yourselves are full of goodness,
filled with all knowledge, and able to admonish one another.
But I have written to you rather boldly in some respects to remind you,
because of the grace given me by God
to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles
in performing the priestly service of the Gospel of God,
so that the offering up of the Gentiles may be acceptable,
sanctified by the Holy Spirit.
In Christ Jesus, then, I have reason to boast in what pertains to God.
For I will not dare to speak of anything
except what Christ has accomplished through me
to lead the Gentiles to obedience by word and deed,
by the power of signs and wonders,
by the power of the Spirit of God,
so that from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum
I have finished preaching the Gospel of Christ.
Thus I aspire to proclaim the Gospel
not where Christ has already been named,
so that I do not build on another's foundation,
but as it is written:
Those who have never been told of him shall see, and those who have never heard of him shall understand.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM
Ps 98:1, 2-3ab, 3cd-4
R. (see 2b) The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.
Sing to the LORD a new song,
for he has done wondrous deeds;
His right hand has won victory for him,
his holy arm.
R. The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.
The LORD has made his salvation known:
in the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice.
He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulness
toward the house of Israel.
R. The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.
All the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation by our God.
Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands;
break into song; sing praise.
R. The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.
GOSPEL
Lk 16:1-8
For the children of this world are more prudent in dealing with their own generation than are the children of light.
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke
Jesus said to his disciples, “A rich man had a steward
who was reported to him for squandering his property.
He summoned him and said,
‘What is this I hear about you?
Prepare a full account of your stewardship,
because you can no longer be my steward.’
The steward said to himself, ‘What shall I do,
now that my master is taking the position of steward away from me?
I am not strong enough to dig and I am ashamed to beg.
I know what I shall do so that,
when I am removed from the stewardship,
they may welcome me into their homes.’
He called in his master’s debtors one by one.
To the first he said, ‘How much do you owe my master?’
He replied, ‘One hundred measures of olive oil.’
He said to him, ‘Here is your promissory note.
Sit down and quickly write one for fifty.’
Then to another he said, ‘And you, how much do you owe?’
He replied, ‘One hundred measures of wheat.’
He said to him, "Here is your promissory note;
write one for eighty.’
And the master commended that dishonest steward for acting prudently.
For the children of this world
are more prudent in dealing with their own generation
than the children of light.”
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