C cycle – 25^th Sunday in Ordinary Time 25

Lk. 16:1-13

Today’s parable has always intrigued me because it gives us an understanding about how we should respond to what God has done for us.   What we have been given to please God has been planted within us.  Paul tells us we have been given a “treasure” which “…we hold within ourselves (earthen vessels) so that the surpassing power will be of God and not from ourselves: (2 Cor.4:7).  What is that power God given us that will be able to live lives bearing fruit?  Jesus in this parable is simply pointing out a spiritual truth – we are expected to live lives worthy of His sacrifice. This parable was used by Jesus to open the eyes of the Pharisees who were justifying themselves in the sight of men.

That steward had squandered the property of his master.  Wasted it by neglect, poor judgment, indifference, arrogance, or pure laziness.  The steward was focusing on the wrong things.  He was, according to Jesus, seeking the esteem of men (vs.15).  Since the scriptures were written for us; Jesus is speaking to us, for we ae he stewards of God’s kingdom.  re directed at us today. We are challenged to examine our own hearts and how we have responded to God, and he treasure we have been given. That treasure is the only thing that can multiply and increase. God has given us a source compelling us to overcome our self-serving human nature.  We have been given the gift fs forgiveness, of mercy, desire, and a willingness to do God’s will. 

We cannot attain righteousness through our own efforts.  That lesson is truly clear in this parable. Jesus points that out by the action of the steward in response to his failure to care for his maser’s gifts.  His response is to protect himself by squandered more of his master’s wealth just to win the favor of men.  Just as the Pharisees paraded around their righteousness. 

We too can deceive ourselves because we also do things seeking the seek approval from God and others. Remember Jesus said, “…not everyone who d says Lord, Lord will enter the kingdom of heaven” (Mt. (7:21). To which they replied Lord we did all these things in your name and Jesus responded, “out of my sight, I do not know you.”  

What we fail rely upon is the precious gift God has given us is He has equipped us to be holy men and women.  He did more than die for our sins; Jesus’s death removed the barrier of sin between us and God.  It also has equipped us with something every person in salvation history received – The Holy Spiri -the source of our righteousness.      

We grappled with sin from the first moment we disobeyed our parents.  We knew immediately when we failed, and we were filled with guilt that plagued us. Guilt created a feeling of loss and isolation.  From our infancy to adulthood, we have known what it means to fall short We like he steward, have squandered what God has given us.  We have ignored the opportunity to relay on what God has given us to overcome sin.  We are that fruitless, fig tree, because we are relying on ourselves instead of tapping into that treasure we hold within us.

The surpassing power of God at work within us.  We need to stop trying to be holy and invite the Holy Spirit to reveal and heal the root of our sinfulness.  We have relied on self-discipline to overcome sin.  It is time to admit we have squandered the opportunity to do God’s will because of self-sufficiency. We are too focused on what we believe pleases God and have ignored what God’s desires most is our hearts not our sacrifices.

Our approach to God remains on following of what we believe God wants.  We continue to approach God as children. We have learned forgiveness depends on us saying we are sorry. We quickly and easily say we ae sorry because it is demanded of u. We know within us we are not truly seeking forgiveness, but we are seeking to appease our parents.    

Ther is only one thing that can change us is to acknowledge the guilt of our sins still haunt us.  We know we have been forgiven, but the memory of them still haunts us.  We do not believe our sins have been cast into the depths of the sea. The source of knowing forgiveness is by inviting the Holy Spirit to fill, to pour the love of God into our hearts (Rom. 5:5). To prune us, shape us, transform us, and change our hearts so they yearn for more grace and move us to act on what we profess to believe. 

But there is another lesson we can learn from this parable. Notice how the Master acknowledges the failings of Stewart were because of his human nature.   We too need to acknowledge how our human nature will always fail to please God.  But scripture tells us we do become new creations in Christ.  Where our desires flow from the grace of forgiveness and mercy.  That heart transformation is exactly why God promised to send us the Holy Spirit.   One response is to allow the treasure we have been given to grow within us and cause us to say Here I am Lord send me.