Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time : Real Poverty

Reading 1

AM 8:4-7

Hear this, you who trample upon the needy
and destroy the poor of the land!
“When will the new moon be over,” you ask,
“that we may sell our grain,
and the sabbath, that we may display the wheat?
We will diminish the ephah,
add to the shekel,
and fix our scales for cheating!
We will buy the lowly for silver,
and the poor for a pair of sandals;
even the refuse of the wheat we will sell!”
The LORD has sworn by the pride of Jacob:
Never will I forget a thing they have done!

Responsorial Psalm

PS 113:1-2, 4-6, 7-8

R. (cf. 1a, 7b) Praise the Lord who lifts up the poor.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Praise, you servants of the LORD,
praise the name of the LORD.
Blessed be the name of the LORD
both now and forever.
R. Praise the Lord who lifts up the poor.
or:
R. Alleluia.
High above all nations is the LORD;
above the heavens is his glory.
Who is like the LORD, our God, who is enthroned on high
and looks upon the heavens and the earth below?
R. Praise the Lord who lifts up the poor.
or:
R. Alleluia.
He raises up the lowly from the dust;
from the dunghill he lifts up the poor
to seat them with princes,
with the princes of his own people.
R. Praise the Lord who lifts up the poor.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Reading 2

1 TM 2:1-8

Beloved:

First of all, I ask that supplications, prayers,

petitions, and thanksgivings be offered for everyone,

for kings and for all in authority,

that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life

in all devotion and dignity. 

This is good and pleasing to God our savior,

who wills everyone to be saved

and to come to knowledge of the truth.

For there is one God.

There is also one mediator between God and men,

the man Christ Jesus,

who gave himself as ransom for all.

This was the testimony at the proper time. 

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.

It is my wish, then, that in every place the men should pray,

lifting up holy hands, without anger or argument.

Gospel

LK 16:1-13

Jesus said to his disciples,

“A rich man had a steward

who was reported to him for squandering his property. 

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.’

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. 

I know what I shall do so that,

when I am removed from the stewardship,

they may welcome me into their homes.’

He called in his master’s debtors one by one. 

To the first he said,

‘How much do you owe my master?’

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.’

Then to another the steward said, ‘And you, how much do you owe?’

He replied, ‘One hundred kors of wheat.’

The steward said to him, ‘Here is your promissory note;

write one for eighty.’

And the master commended that dishonest steward for acting prudently.

“For the children of this world

are more prudent in dealing with their own generation

than are the children of light. 

I tell you, make friends for yourselves with dishonest wealth,

so that when it fails, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.

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. 

If, therefore, you are not trustworthy with dishonest wealth,

who will trust you with true wealth? 

If you are not trustworthy with what belongs to another,

who will give you what is yours? 

No servant can serve two masters. 

He will either hate one and love the other,

or be devoted to one and despise the other. 

You cannot serve both God and mammon.”

Theme for reflection:  Real Poverty

In the first reading of today we see the great faithfulness of God towards the poor and the downtrodden.

He warns the rich among the Israelites and those who rule over these poor, here on earth, neither to cheat or swindle them nor to treat them unjustly.

The poor and the poverty of the many are a common problem even in our times and so often we may work out plans to rob and steal the poor by sweet words of treachery.

There are some who are practitioner’s of social justice and work for the emancipation of the poor, the marginalized of society and the downtrodden.

When there are modern day governments, who seem to be extra conscious of the social status of their subject and have socialistic schemes to alleviate the suffering of these poor then why do we require non- NGO’s to strive to work towards the alleviation of the poor?  

Hence, do we  as Catholics really need to work towards these causes?

It is good for us Catholics to work for the emancipation of the poor but we should not forget to understand the right kind of poverty and work according to God’s wisdom to alleviate the sufferings of the poor rather than go by human priorities and standard.

We should, more so, serve because our God cares for his poor?

Who then are these poor whom we are called to serve in the first place and as of first priority?

Let us first understand the contradiction of the first 2 readings: While the first one is a warning and is a reminder of God faithfully watching over his poor on the other hand the second reading seems to worry about the rich and mighty and invites us to pray and intercede for them.

A deeper glance gives us a reason for such prayer and which could be summed up like this: We Christians who are poor by virtue of our following of Christ Jesus (hence not just a material condition) should pray for these rich and the powerful that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life
in all devotion and dignity.  (1 Tim. 2:2)

Similarly in the gospel we are further exposed to this truth that as Christians our poverty is realized not on account of lack of wealth or possession but that every Christian becomes poor in Christ Jesus on account of the realization of one’s status as a steward of God’s wealth and thus walking accordingly. 

Which means that we as Christians may have plenty of wealth and money and yet all that one has belongs not to them but to God and that we are mere stewards: That is poverty!

Otherwise we could be active in the service of the poor and the marginalized and yet may be rich with possessions and wealth and the greatest of them is the wealth of the many adulations and honor we accumulate and for which the world is willing to honor and reward.

Some additional scripture verses for reflection and use:    

    

And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said: "Blessed are you poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Luke 6:20

LUKE 16: 1-9 (today’s Gospel)

This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. 1 Cor 4:1

   

As each has received a gift, employ it for one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: 11 whoever speaks, as one who utters oracles of God; whoever renders service, as one who renders it by the strength which God supplies; in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. 1 Peter 4:10-11 

So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all men, and especially to those who are of the household of faith. Gal 6:10