The parable of the dishonest steward often raises eyebrows, for it seems to praise dishonesty.  That, however, is a misinterpretation.  The “dishonest steward” is not praised for squandering his master’s property, but for what he does when he learns he is being fired.  As steward, or manager, he had made loans of his master’s property to others, something commonly done by stewards.  He had also added  a generous commission for himself to arrive at the amount owed – again, the common and acceptable practice.  Then when he knew his stewardship was ending, he canceled his commission on each of the loans, leaving only the portion owed to his master.  He did this to get in the good graces of the debtors, and his shrewdness in doing so is what is praised.

Jesus draws the lesson for His disciple: be as shrewd in how you use possessions as this steward was when he was fired.   Use your wealth in a way that will provide for your eternal well-being, that is, use it to help those in need.  If you can not use money properly, how can you be trusted with more important gifts from God?  You can only put your ultimate allegiance in  one place, and if you put it in possessions, that rules out God.  These are hard words for those who are attached to wealth.

Jesus cautions all of us to use the resources of this world to prepare for the next, while there is still time.  He concludes: “You cannot serve God and mammon.”  You cannot serve wealth and enter the Kingdom of God, but you can use wealth to serve the Kingdom and thus be found to be a trustworthy steward of God’s gifts.

God Bless,

Msgr. Powell