Saturday in the Thirty-First Week in Ordinary Time

Scripture Readings: Rom 16:3-9, 16, 22-27; Lk 16:9-15  

Jesus has a lot to say about the love of riches.  In today’s story he is walking along the long dusty road from upper Galilee to Southern Judea where he will be crucified.  This is his last journey, so what he says along the way must be very important.  Jesus keeps warning his disciples about the danger of riches.  He tells them about a rich farmer who built bigger barns rather than share his surplus. He laid up treasure for himself, but he was not rich before God.  This is a great paradox: we acquire heavenly riches by giving away earthly riches.  Jesus said: “Give alms, and so provide purses for yourselves that hold treasure in heaven.”  “You cannot serve God and Mammon

Jesus also told the story about an unjust steward caught squandering his master’s property.  He provides for his future by canceling debts. The master is really our heavenly Father, for no one is richer than God.  The steward represents each of us, for we all have to give an account of the way we have managed his goods.  How shall we provide for our future?  Jewish rabbis have a saying: “The rich help the poor in this world and the poor help the rich in the next world.“