Sept. 18, 2022: Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

“Constructed from Responsible Stewardship”

Amos 8: 4-12/Psalm 113/1 Timothy 2: 1-8/Luke 16: 1-12

Bishop Ariel P. Santos

We are here to know God and to make Him known. This is our desire and true knowledge of God happens not just in the mind but in the heart.

Luke 16:1-12 teaches us three lessons. One, we are stewards, not owners. Two, we will give an accounting of what has been entrusted to us. Three, we should give and serve with the future and the common good in mind.

We are stewards, not owners. The earth is the Lord’s and all it contains. God has entrusted things to us. In the Parable of the Vineyard, the workers did not give the harvest to the representative of the owner. It is foolishness and even a tragedy when we think we are the owners of things and not God. We are stewards of spirit, soul, body, time, talent, treasure, intelligence, ability, job, business, family, ministry and of everything else that God entrusts to us.

All are the Lord’s! We are responsible for the things that God gives us. It is not ours to do what we want with them. We cannot squander that which is not our own and expect to live happily ever after. The steward used the money of his master. The word squander in the story is the same word used in the Parable of the Prodigal Son. The son squandered what belong to his father.

Jesus tells us in Luke 16:12 to be faithful in using that which is another person’s property. Our purpose, as stewards and as managers of God’s things, is to please Him. If we are faithful in small things, then, God will trust us with bigger things.

We are trying to complete this Church building. I am not belittling our efforts. The work is enormous; but if we are faithful in this that God has given us, this will prove small compared to the glory God has in store for us. Our efforts, our donations and our prayers are small because eye has not seen nor ear heard what God has in store for us and for the next generation. We don’t know how many lives will be changed in this Church building. We don’t know how many deliverances will happen through the ministry happening in our Church. Let us be faithful with what we have right now because it will produce a hundred-fold in the future.

Our money is not ours. The earth is not ours. Our families are not ours. Relationships are not ours. The question is: what are we doing with them? Are we being generous with our money or do we squander it only for ourselves? God does not forget us. He always gives us seed for sowing and bread for eating. There is much for us. God gives us an abundance so that we can be satisfied. Money exclusively used by us will never satisfy. The fulfillment and an abundant life comes through the proper use of money.

Do we take care of our environment? Do we take care of the home that God has given us? Spouses are faithful to each other not because of fear of anything, but about love, which is the basis of their faithfulness. Our obedience should be based on our relationship with God, not on law.

In the parable, the master praised the shrewd servant not for his dishonesty but for his foresight. It is his wise use and generous use of resources that was lauded. At first, the steward used the money for himself; but later on, he thought of the future. He used what was entrusted to him for the future.

With regards to the Church building, we are going to use our resources for the future. Some of us may not see the completion of this building. It doesn’t matter because we are still one with this generation and the generation after this. If they benefit, we benefit. If they are blessed, we are blessed. We are part of them. The kingdom of God is eternal. It is not just about our generation. It is way beyond having an office space in the Church building. It is all about the project of love. Is it God’s and we are simply His stewards. The ability to fulfill our calling is also on loan from God.

As stewards, we will give an account. May we not be fearful with this truth. May our hearts be sincere to say, “I would like to give an account and I want to please my Master because I am thankful for all His blessings and trusting me with all.”

Fr. Jay Molanda in addressing the clergy said, “The parish that you are handling is not yours. It is the Bishop’s, technically, but actually it is not! It is Jesus as He is the Head of the Church.” The attitude of the priests should be, “This is not mine, it is the Bishop’s.” It may be all the priest’s efforts, but it is not his. Ministries and orders are not ours; it is not our kingdom, and it is a privilege given to us to fulfill them.

We should do God’s will, God’s way. It is God’s will for us to feed the poor. We look for ways to fulfill this – not be robbing or stealing – but maybe through a fundraising. The end doesn’t justify the means. God says to purge the evil among us, but this is not done by killing those who are considered evil, like what the crusaders did. God’s way is for the earth to reveal His glory. The ‘evil’ men are not killed but are converted to Him. God’s will and His way is simple: build the Kingdom by being faithful in small things.

I have been meditating on The Lord’s Prayer. Hallowed or holy means different because we don’t go with the way of the world, but God’s way. In His holiness and in His righteousness, He wants to come to earth. This is why we pray, “Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” How will this happen? “Give us this day our daily bread.” God gives us the ability to participate to make this happen by asking forgiveness for our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. It doesn’t say, “Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who apologize to us.” It doesn’t say, “Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who come to us kneeling or bent down on their knees for seven days.” The kingdom of God will come and His will be done by being forgiving.

God’s will and plan is simple: be faithful in small things and He will entrust us with bigger things. Participate, come, respond, pray, sing, clap, join a ministry, be involved in activities, serve and give. We don’t need to do something heroic. Let us do this for one year and see what will happen. God will give us greater things. Let us not think that we know better. Let us not trust and lean on our own understanding.

We should give and serve God and with the future and the common good in mind. Use what God has given to us wisely, generously, in preparation for the future. We are building this Church for the next generation. We need to be faithful with what we have been given. We should be thankful for the privilege and the opportunity of being the generation that started this. It took us almost forty years to own a property and it is happening in our midst and in our time.

Let us be humble and understand that God has given us all of these things. In thanksgiving, we respond because He richly supplies us with seed for sowing and bread for eating; with a family to love and to raise in His ways; with a Church with whom we dwell in unity and worship Him; and with ministries we are given ability to fulfill. Do all for His glory and love of Him.

Our obedience must be relational, not legal; it is voluntary. Give and serve not because of consequences or reward but for the love of God and brothers. Love, as defined, is not for ourselves but for the good of another, deserving or not. The bigger the effort, the greater the love manifested. For those who appreciate the love of God, much they do in expressing them.

May our obedience, our loyalty be based on God’s love. Stewardship and relationship are interrelated. Let us be good stewards because we love God and because it is the way in the kingdom of our God.