25TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - Gospel (Luke 16: 1-13) - THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE
- NHA CHUA CHA
- 2 days ago
- 5 min read
FIRST READING - Am 8:4-7
"The Lord has sworn by the pride of Jacob: Never will I forget a thing they have done!"
A reading from the Book of the prophet Amos
4 Hear this, you who trample upon the needy and destroy the poor of the land: 5 “When will the new moon be over,” you ask, “that we may sell our grain, And the sabbath, that we may open the grain-bins? We will diminish the ephah,[a] add to the shekel, and fix our scales for cheating! 6 We will buy the destitute for silver, and the poor for a pair of sandals; even the worthless grain we will sell!” 7 The Lord has sworn by the pride of Jacob: Never will I forget a thing they have done!
SECOND READING - 1 Tim 2:1-8
"Pray to the Lord for everyone. The Lord wills everyone to be saved."
A reading from the First Letter to Timothy
1 [a]First of all, then, I ask that supplications, prayers, petitions, and thanksgivings be offered for everyone, 2 for kings and for all in authority, that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life in all devotion and dignity. 3 This is good and pleasing to God our savior, 4 who wills everyone to be saved and to come to knowledge of the truth.
5 For there is one God.There is also one mediator between God and the human race,Christ Jesus, himself human,6 who gave himself as ransom for all.
This was the testimony[b] at the proper time. 7 For this I was appointed preacher and apostle (I am speaking the truth, I am not lying), teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.
8 [c]It is my wish, then, that in every place the men should pray, lifting up holy hands, without anger or argument.
GOSPEL OF THE DAY - Lk 16:1-13
"You cannot serve God and mammon."
✠From the Gospel according to Luke
1 Then he also said to his disciples, “A rich man had a steward who was reported to him for squandering his property. 2 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.’ 3 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. 4 I know what I shall do so that, when I am removed from the stewardship, they may welcome me into their homes.’ 5 He called in his master’s debtors one by one. To the first he said, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ 6 [b]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.’ 7 Then to another he said, ‘And you, how much do you owe?’ He replied, ‘One hundred kors[c] of wheat.’ He said to him, ‘Here is your promissory note; write one for eighty.’ 8 And the master commended that dishonest steward for acting prudently.
[d] “For the children of this world are more prudent in dealing with their own generation than are the children of light.[e] 9 I tell you, make friends for yourselves with dishonest wealth,[f] so that when it fails, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings. 10 [g]The person who is trustworthy in very small matters is also trustworthy in great ones; and the person who is dishonest in very small matters is also dishonest in great ones. 11 If, therefore, you are not trustworthy with dishonest wealth, who will trust you with true wealth? 12 If you are not trustworthy with what belongs to another, who will give you what is yours? 13 No servant can serve two masters.[h] He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.”
25TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - Gospel (Luke 16: 1-13)
THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE
Dear People of God,
The Word of God today God desires to speak to all humanity: God is the One who is most righteous, just, and truthful. He always defends the poor, the destitute, and the marginalized in society, and He deals with everyone with fairness and justice.
God is Truth, Goodness, and Beauty. He does not uphold what is evil or dishonest, but He continually shows His boundless mercy toward all humanity, for He is the One who is wise and who always teaches people to walk in the way of righteousness. From ancient times, God proclaimed through the mouths of the prophets the command to protect the poor and the oppressed in society, and this has remained true up to this very day.
The image of the Son of God coming into the world, humbling Himself to become like a human being in all things except sin, is the very expression of God’s mercy bestowed upon humanity. He came to accompany and be with humankind, to show compassion and to share in the suffering of the poor and the destitute in society. God has a special love for the poor, the simple, and the lowly!
God descended into the world to walk with humanity and to bring salvation. He instructs people on how to attain the ultimate goal of entering the Kingdom of Heaven. Therefore, in today’s Word of God, He teaches humanity to be wise and prudent in seeking every way possible to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.
God used the parable of the dishonest but shrewd steward to tell humanity that they must seek every way possible to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Be wise like the dishonest steward who knows how to use dishonest wealth as a means to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. God is holy, pure, and spotless. He never calls people to live in darkness or in sin. Rather, He always calls humanity to set their ultimate goal of attaining the Kingdom of Heaven.
Furthermore, He calls everyone to be faithful to God in both small and great matters, and to worship God alone as the one and only God. As for wealth, it is merely a means for people to use in order to help and share with others. This is the way by which humanity may enter the Kingdom of Heaven.
In today’s world, God clearly sees that many people are valuing money, worshiping wealth as their master, and casting God out of their lives; and He looks upon this with mercy!
In the Word of God today, He earnestly calls His children to:
Come to God, place Him as the one and only God of love, and remain faithful in worshiping Him alone. Living in this way, He will grant the reward of the Kingdom of Heaven in the life to come.
Be vigilant, so as not to fall into the temptation of Satan by valuing and worshipping money and material possessions above all things. He makes it known to humanity that the worship of money and possessions cannot save the soul, cannot bring eternal life; and such wealth and possessions will be lost once the soul departs from this world.
God has mercy on mankind. He gives careful instruction in order to save humanity. He will protect all those who worship Him as the only love, worship Him as an eternal God of power, absolute over all things and all creatures that He created. God promises to always protect those who are faithful, loyal to God until their last breath.
Thanks be to God. Amen.
Comments