As preached by Sister Cecelia
Holy Wisdom Church
Amos 8:1-7; Colossians 3:12-17;
Luke 16:1-9
About the rich fool who built
bigger barns to hold his extra grain, St. Ambrose quoted when preaching that
the bosoms of the poor, the houses of the widows, the mouths of children are
the barns which last forever.
The Hebrews, too, believed
that charity to the poor would stand to a person’s credit in the world to come.
Making friends of the poor and needy by sharing one’s wealth with them was the
way to go through life. A person’s true wealth consisted in what was given
away, not what was kept for the self.
In one sense, that is what the
steward did in this morning’s parable, and the master appreciated his
shrewdness. The steward’s largesse, however, was not because he was thinking of
helping others, only himself. The steward in today’s gospel had not been
faithful in small things and eventually lost his job. If our integrity slips in
small matters, it will certainly fail in more crucial matters.
We are only too aware of the
tragedies and natural disasters that darken the present time, as well as our
histories—to say nothing of the effects of human weakness, blindness, and
malice. Nevertheless, those who have chosen to serve God will work together
despite their differences.
I’m reminded of Samuel’s
response to God after the 4th time he was awakened from sleep: “Here I am,
Lord, your servant is
listening." At our baptism we become not only God’s children but servants
of God. Rebuilding is one of the charisms of creation. Creation is ongoing, and
we can choose to help with the rebuilding or add to the tearing down. It is a
decision, a choice to add to the building up.
Today’s Epistle indicates the qualities that enable us to make the choices to bring about a rebuilding of the future. Dealing with our everyday life with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience requires forgiveness on our part. It is by the dynamism of the desire to be instructed in the ways of God that we are gradually enlightened about the nature of divinity. Even though not an autumn leaf falls in vain, and does so without our understanding or permission, it is difficult to reach the point of believing there is a meaning behind all that happens in life. In the personal experience of God’s kindness, we begin to accept the possibility that there is meaning behind every event.
Very rarely, we can clearly
spot God’s fingerprint in the details of a situation or a decision. Most of the time it can feel like guesswork.
Knowing how we can best serve God, how to go about the building up, can be
anxiety producing. God’s will for us is not usually marked with a “Sign here”
tab. Therefore, we shouldn’t worry about getting everything right on the first
try. The aim at all times is to shift the focus from oneself as the center of
the universe, in order to place oneself at the service of the Creator.
It is much more important to be ready and
willing, like Samuel, to repeat, “Here I am, Lord, your servant is listening.”
Then we will find ourselves on the right path despite any detours we take in
life. Spending our energies to come to an understanding of what is within our
reach. and then working to improve matters. is a great accomplishment.
What choices will promote
peace within ourselves and in the whole creation?
What do others learn of Christ
by observing us?
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