May Jesus Christ be
praised and may his holy Mother pray for us.
Last week the Lord
Jesus told us that we can follow only one master. As we follow Christ as our only master, we
follow him with boldness and creativity in prayer, in worship, and in service to
the poor. Today in our readings we hear a
warning given to the wealthy and we hear a lesson about the true treasure.
In our reading from the
book of the prophet Amos and in our reading from the Gospel, we hear words of
warning. Last week the unjust steward
had obtained his wealth through dishonesty.
The people addressed by Amos and the Pharisees addressed by the Lord
Jesus had not acquired their wealth by dishonest means. There is no indication in the text that they
had amassed their fortunes by exploiting the poor. What is clear in the readings today is how
they used their wealth. Beds of ivory,
the finest of sumptuous meals, wine and oil in abundance, and garments of
purple, the color of royalty are how they used their wealth. In the parable presented by the Lord Jesus,
the rich man is so consumed by his riches and the abundant banquet, that he
does not even notice the poor man at the door.
The people addressed by Amos and the rich man in the parable spent their
wealth completely on themselves. They
never shared. They lived their lives by
the fifth word that we all normally learn. Mama, dada, yes, no, and the fifth word: Mine.
Today the Lord Jesus
invites us to think about ownership. Can
we say dear brothers and sisters that we really own something that does not
last forever? The ivory couches, the sumptuous
meals, the garments, the mansions and all of the goods of the earth will pass
away. They will not last forever. We
possess them only for a time. And
therefore, we are not truly owners of earthly goods. We are stewards.
Stewards have the
responsibility to care for what has been entrusted to them. The stewards care for these earthly goods
perhaps even more carefully than they would their own, because ultimately,
these goods belong to another. All of heaven and all of earth is the possession
of the Almighty Father. We were made
stewards of creation from the time when God created the heavens and the earth. We have been made the stewards of the goods of
earth, of houses and cars and money, through the goodness of God and the work
of our minds and hands. But, dear
brothers and sisters, in our baptism and in our confirmation, we have become
stewards of the gifts of heaven. We have
been given a share in the gifts of God for the building up of the people of
God. By Sacred Ordination, I was made a
steward of the mysteries of God, as Saint Paul says. What I received in ordination, the mark on my
soul and the power to consecrate the Eucharist and absolve sins, was not
entrusted to me for my benefit. These
gifts were given to me, so that I might give them to you.
And it is the same with
the gifts and talents that Our Lord, in his goodness and mercy, has entrusted
to each of you. Each of you is a steward
of the gifts of God. They are not your gifts,
but the gifts of God given to you. And what
God has entrusted to your stewardship, God invites you to use for the benefit
of others. He calls each of us to be
good stewards. He calls us today,
through the words of the Apostle Paul, to pursue righteousness, devotion,
faith, love and gentleness, and to lay hold of eternal life. This, dear brothers and sisters, is our true
treasure and our true wealth: the spiritual abundance that the Lord Jesus has
entrusted to us for the building up of his kingdom. Today, we heed the warning of the prophet
Amos and put the gifts we have received at the service of others.
As we celebrate this
Eucharist today, we ask the Lord for the grace to recognize the gifts and
talents that he has entrusted to our care. We ask for the inspiration of the Holy Spirit
to lead us to opportunities to share what has been given to us. And we ask for the grace to be good stewards
of the mysteries of God that will lead us to eternal life. Amen.
Preached
at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, Monroe, NC
