Questo articolo è disponibile anche in: Italian English Spanish Portuguese

Question

Good morning Father Angelo!

I would like to ask you to explain to me the parable we read at Mass last Sunday (about the unjust steward). Specifically, I would like to understand the meaning of Jesus’ words, as even our priest struggled with the homily and said that it was challenging to interpret them fully.

I thank you as always.

Philip

Priest’s answer

Dear Philip, 

1. In order to better understand the Gospel we heard on the 25th Sunday of Ordinary Time, year C, we necessarily have to clarify two things.

2. First: why is wealth called unjust here, when it was regarded as a consequence of divine blessing in the Old Testament?

Wealth in itself is a good thing, but it can become unjust for two reasons: because our heart becomes attached to it and we start living purely for the sake of increasing it.

Or, because it is not used to serve the plan of God who gave us wealth to provide for ourselves and our family members in the present and future time, and at the same time to provide for those in need.

3. The second thing to clarify concerns the steward himself: you have to remember that both him and the servants lived in the master’s house. They had food and shelter there, and they had assistance in case of need. They did not own a house for themselves.

That is why the unjust steward says in the Gospel, “I know what I shall do so that, when I am removed from the stewardship, they may welcome me into their homes” (Luke 16:4).

4. Coming now to the parable.

The steward, in order to secure his own future, called one of his master’s debtors and asked him, “How much do you owe my master?” He replied, “100 barrels of oil”. 100 barrels of oil corresponded to 38,000 liters.

He said to him, “Here is your promissory note. Sit down and quickly write one for fifty”.

So that unjust steward made a gift corresponding to the cost of 19,000 liters of oil, which is certainly not a small amount.

He asked the same question to another debtor, who replied, “100 measures of grain”. He told him “here is your promissory note, and write down 80”.

100 measures of grain corresponded to 380,000 liters of grain. He forgave him a fifth of that, corresponding to about 74,000 liters of grain.

And so he did with all his master’s other debtors.

This way he secured for himself the ability to stay in the house of either one or the other in case of necessity until better times.

5. The sacred text says that the master commended the unjust steward because he had acted astutely.

He did not praise him, of course, because he had inflicted a loss on him by stealing, but because he had skillfully secured himself a roof and sustenance for the future.

6. Therefore, the Lord took the occasion to underline that ““For the children of this world are more prudent in dealing with their own generation than are the children of light.” (Lk. 16:8).

The children of this world are those who are concerned only with earthly goods, in order to secure themselves a future that will always be temporary and brief, no matter how long.

While the children of light, his disciples, do not show the same acumen to greatly prepare for their eternal future.

7. It must be remembered that the only reason why God created us to live on the earth and not directly in Heaven, is because he wanted Heaven to not be just given to us or tossed at us. He wanted for Heaven to be fully ours, in the true meaning of this possessive adjective: something becomes ours in fact, when it is known, desired, loved and possessed by us. He wanted us to become the creators of our eternal future. This way, His glory will become fully ours.

8. And here comes the Lord’s final teaching: we must use wealth to do good so that those to whom we give it, will welcome us into eternal life, in Heaven, together with them.

There are people who periodically send donations for Padre Pio or St. Anthony. These are donations that benefit the works run by the brothers of Padre Pio or St. Anthony. 

How can anyone think that Padre Pio or St. Anthony will remain indifferent in Heaven, and not speak well to God about those who have made these donations in their honor? How could they not welcome them at the time of death into the eternal abodes?

The same thing should be said of offerings given to the poor or for any other good cause.

9. In summary, the Lord means that we should use our wealth and riches that He Himself has given us to do good for our souls, sharing them with those who are in need.

If this is not done, the wealth we possess will become dishonest, that is, unjustly possessed.

With the hope that when your time comes you will have many people ready to welcome you into the eternal abodes, I bless you and will keep you in my prayers.

Father Angelo