And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by unrighteous mammon, that when you fail, they may receive you into an everlasting home

 

 He also said to His disciples:  "There was a certain rich man who had a steward, and an accusation was brought to him that this man was wasting his goods.  So he called him and said to him, 'What is this I hear about you?  Give an account of your stewardship, for you can no longer be steward.'  Then the steward said within himself, 'What shall I do?  For my master is taking the stewardship away from me.  I cannot dig; I am ashamed to beg.  I have resolved what to do, that when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses.'  So he called every one of his master's debtors to him, and said to the first, 'How much do you owe my master?'  And he said, 'A hundred measures of oil.'  So he said to him, 'Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.'  Then he said to another, 'And how much do you owe?'  So he said, 'A hundred measures of wheat.'  And he said to him, 'Take your bill, and write eighty.'  So the master commended the unjust steward because he had dealt shrewdly.  For the sons of this world are more shrewd in their generation than the sons of light.  And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by unrighteous mammon, that when you fail, they may receive you into an everlasting home."

 

- Luke 16:1-9 

 

In yesterday's reading, we were given the parable of the Prodigal Son (or Lost Son), the third parable Jesus told in response to the Pharisees and scribes who criticized Him for receiving and eating with tax collectors and sinners.  Jesus said:   "A certain man had two sons.  And the younger of them said to his father, 'Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.'  So he divided to them his livelihood.  And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living.  But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want.  Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.  And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything.  But when he came to himself, he said, 'How many of my father's hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!  I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, and I am no longer worthy to be called your son.  Make me like one of your hired servants." ' And he arose and came to his father.  But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.  And the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.'  But the father said to his servants, 'Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet.  And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry, for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.'  And they began to be merry.  Now his older son was in the field.  And as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing.  So he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant.  And he said to him, 'Your brother has come, and because he has received him safe and sound, your father has killed the  fatted calf.'  But he was angry and would not go in.  Therefore his father came out and pleaded with him.  So he answered and said to his father, 'Lo, these many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends.  But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him.'  And he said to him, 'Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours.  It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found.' "

 

  He also said to His disciples:  "There was a certain rich man who had a steward, and an accusation was brought to him that this man was wasting his goods.  So he called him and said to him, 'What is this I hear about you?  Give an account of your stewardship, for you can no longer be steward.'  Then the steward said within himself, 'What shall I do?  For my master is taking the stewardship away from me.  I cannot dig; I am ashamed to beg.  I have resolved what to do, that when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses.'  So he called every one of his master's debtors to him, and said to the first, 'How much do you owe my master?'  And he said, 'A hundred measures of oil.'  So he said to him, 'Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.'  Then he said to another, 'And how much do you owe?'  So he said, 'A hundred measures of wheat.'  And he said to him, 'Take your bill, and write eighty.'  So the master commended the unjust steward because he had dealt shrewdly.  For the sons of this world are more shrewd in their generation than the sons of light.  And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by unrighteous mammon, that when you fail, they may receive you into an everlasting home."  My study Bible explains that a steward is responsible for managing his master's property and looking after the welfare of his servants.  The point of this parable is that the unrighteous are better at using money to make friends in the world than believers are at using money to make friends for the Kingdom of God -- which is done by spending it on the needy.  At death (when you fail) the needy will welcome their benefactors into the everlasting home.

 

In today's reading, Jesus turns from His response to the Pharisees and scribes, and gives this parable to His disciples.  Let us recall that He has already given three parables to the Pharisees and scribes in response to their criticism that He receives and dines with tax collectors and other sinners.  Those parables were the Lost Sheep and the Lost Coin (in this reading), and that of the Prodigal Son (or Lost Son) in yesterday's reading, above.  The Lost Sheep and Lost Coin speak of the tremendous love and longing of God for those who are "lost" to be returned -- as they belong with all of God's creation restored in the communion of God's love.  The Prodigal or Lost Son spoke of the father's joy at his lost son's return and restoration to the one who loved him -- and that this does not diminish the son who was never lost.  In today's reading, we're given what might seem a perplexing story of a steward by worldly standards, but it is meant to illustrate the principle of mercy and how and why it works.  But this time, it is directed to His followers, and especially to the disciples.  In the context of discipleship, it is a reminder that we all come up short at one time or another.  There is none who is perfect in terms of our own relationship face to face with God, and our own sin.  It is an illustration to those who will represent Him in the world that they must think, when dealing with nominal sinners, of the Master or Lord whom they serve.   We as disciples must learn a proper attitude regarding the blessings we've been given, and how they are used in the world.   In some way, we are not so different from the nominal sinners that we see around ourselves.  We are to use the things of this world to build treasure in heaven, and keep in mind the ultimate reality in which we wish to dwell and to serve, and to bring into the world.  Whatever our blessings are, it is wise to share them prudently and humanely, especially when we do so in service to God, to the kingdom of heaven.  This is a wisdom that declares itself the opposite of selfishness, and at the same time creates an expansive understanding of what our real blessings are.  In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus teaches:  "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal" (Matthew 6:19-20).  This is again the same teaching He will give to the rich young ruler who wishes for eternal life and wants to become His disciple (Luke 18:28-23).  In the Sermon on the Plain, here in Luke's Gospel, when Jesus teaches what is known as the Golden Rule, He says, "For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you."  Each of these teachings encourages us to understand the depth of possibilities inherent in our own circumstances, that begin with a proper orientation and understanding of the expansive love of God in the first place.  This is not about rewarding bad behavior, or overlooking evil.  But it is a teaching about grounding ourselves in God's overflowing and abundant love, orienting our own outlooks on life and how we use talent, time, and resources in service to the transfiguration of the world.  Jesus gives us the reminder that there is a bigger picture to keep in mind in our lives in this world, and that also must be a part of our choices in dealing with our time and talents and resources.   We are often wealthier than we think in terms of what we can give to others; sometimes all it takes is a word, an attitude, a kindness of heart, an openness to possibilities, a willingness to come to terms.  Self-centeredness is a very limiting outlook on life.   With today's parable, He's also speaking to those who would be His stewards in the world.   He asks us to be good stewards of the goods and wealth with which we're entrusted, and remember that we are part of a much bigger picture, in all that we do in the world.  

The sons of this world are more shrewd in their generation than the sons of light

 He also said to His disciples:  "There was a certain rich man who had a steward, and an accusation was brought to him that this man was wasting his goods.  So he called him and said to him, 'What is this I hear about you?  Give an account of your stewardship, for you can no longer be steward.'  Then the steward said within himself, 'What shall I do?  For my master is taking the stewardship away from me.  I cannot dig; I am ashamed to beg.  I have resolved what to do, that when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses.'  So he called every one of his master's debtors to him, and said to the first, 'How much do you owe my master?'  And he said, 'A hundred measures of oil.'  So he said to him, 'Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.'  Then he said to another, 'And how much do you owe?'  So he said, 'A hundred measures of wheat.'  And he said to him, 'Take your bill, and write eighty.'  So the master commended the unjust steward because he had dealt shrewdly.  For the sons of this world are more shrewd in their generation than the sons of light.  And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by unrighteous mammon, that when you fail, they may receive you into an everlasting home."

- Luke 16:1-9

In yesterday's reading, we were given the third parable in Jesus' response to the criticism of the scribes and Pharisees, that tax collectors and sinners came to hear Him preach.  It is the parable of the Prodigal Son:  "A certain man had two sons.  And the younger of them said to his father, 'Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.'  So he divided to them his livelihood.  And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living.  But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want.  Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.  And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything.  But when he came to himself, he said, 'How many of my father's hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!  I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, and I am no longer worthy to be called your son.  Make me like one of your hired servants."'  And he arose and came to his father.  But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.  And the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.'  But the father said to his servants, 'Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet.  And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry; for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.'  And they began to be merry.  Now his older son was in the field.  And as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing.  So he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant.  And he said to him, 'Your brother has come, and because he has received him safe and sound, your father has killed the fatted calf.'  But he was angry and would not go in.  Therefore his father came out and pleaded with him.  So he answered and said to his father, 'Lo, these many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends.  But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him.'  And he said to him, 'Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours.  It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found.'"

  He also said to His disciples:  "There was a certain rich man who had a steward, and an accusation was brought to him that this man was wasting his goods.  So he called him and said to him, 'What is this I hear about you?  Give an account of your stewardship, for you can no longer be steward.'  Then the steward said within himself, 'What shall I do?  For my master is taking the stewardship away from me.  I cannot dig; I am ashamed to beg.  I have resolved what to do, that when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses.'  So he called every one of his master's debtors to him, and said to the first, 'How much do you owe my master?'  And he said, 'A hundred measures of oil.'  So he said to him, 'Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.'  Then he said to another, 'And how much do you owe?'  So he said, 'A hundred measures of wheat.'  And he said to him, 'Take your bill, and write eighty.'  So the master commended the unjust steward because he had dealt shrewdly.  For the sons of this world are more shrewd in their generation than the sons of light.  And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by unrighteous mammon, that when you fail, they may receive you into an everlasting home."  My study bible explains that a steward is responsible for managing his master's property and for looking after the welfare of his servants.  It says that the point of this parable is that the unrighteous are better at using money to make friends in the world than believers are at using money to make friends for the Kingdom of God.  This is accomplished by spending it on the needy.  At death (when you fail) those whom one helped will welcome their benefactors into the everlasting home.

This parable is confusing in terms of its application to our salvation if we think of it in the stark black and white terms of correct behavior.  After all, the steward himself was defrauding his master.  But let us recall under what context this parable is told.  Jesus has just replied to the criticism of the scribes and Pharisees that unrighteous people like tax collectors and other sinners are coming to Him to hear Him.  (See the readings from Wednesday and Thursday, in which Jesus told three parables in response.)   Let us note that in these parables there is an illustration of mercy, of the lengths to which a shepherd, an owner of ten coins, and finally a father will go to recall and reclaim that which has been lost.  In common with today's parable, those three parables illustrate what it means not to follow the exact letter of nominal justice, but rather to make the extra effort and sacrifice required to reclaim what has been lost.  In today's reading, Jesus turns to His disciples and directs this parable toward them.  Perhaps they, too, are wondering about the tax collectors and sinners who gather to this ministry to hear Him.  After all, tax collectors were notoriously unrighteous people, known for cheating their own Jewish compatriots, working for the Romans, and not above using methods of violence and extortion to take more for themselves.  But what Jesus seems to be saying in this parable is that it is not the rules of "dollars and cents," if you will, that remain important in the Kingdom.  Rather, what matters is how we use what we have as stewards in order to claim what has been lost.  In this sense, perhaps, the unrighteous tax collectors and sinners may find that by exercising mercy with what they have and reforming their own lives, they may lay claim to a righteous or "right-relatedness" to others through that same "unrighteous mammon" of wealth.  We note that at the beginning of the parable, this steward has squandered his master's goods; so it may be with those of us who fail to use appropriately the resources we've been given by God in life, for we are all stewards of God's creation.  This steward then, in turn, finds ways to be merciful to those who owe the master.  In the parable, then, we find that the nominal rules of what's "fair" or "equal" to be cast out, but by the standards of righteousness, the mercy shown by the steward toward the debtors is a shrewd, and a good thing.  In the Greek this word for shrewd indicates that which comes through practical understanding and experience, and is not merely an application of something abstract.  It is a lesson in how, even as His disciples, we must be prepared to deal with fellow human beings through relatedness and pragmatism under given real circumstances, which leads to mercy.  We see a parallel to this possible interpretation in the story of Zacchaeus, also found in Luke's Gospel (19:1-10).  Zacchaeus is not just a tax collector, but is in fact a chief tax collector, who is very rich by his ill-gotten gains.  But as Jesus passes through Jericho, a town notorious for sin, He calls out Zacchaeus and says that He must stay at Zacchaeus' house that day.  This is met with the same derision to which Jesus has been responding in the criticism of the scribes and Pharisees in our recent readings.  But Zacchaeus proclaims, "Look, Lord, I give half of my goods to the poor; and if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I restore fourfold."  And then Jesus proclaims, in a message directly found in the parable of the Prodigal Son (given in yesterday's reading, see above), "Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham; for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost."  Zacchaeus' willingness to "make friends" not only with those who are poor by sharing half his goods, and to restore fourfold anything he's gained by cheating, restore him to the Lord.  In other words, by using unrighteous mammon, he may be received into an everlasting home.  This is a way of giving hope to all, that there is a way to redemption and to the path toward Christ.  Let us consider how we, too, may use our own "unrighteous mammon," and in particular this personal and applied pragmatism toward the human condition that Jesus advocates.  It may not make sense according to an abstract sense of balancing the books, but His is a ministry of direct communion with each, an effective realism which begins where we truly are and doesn't hide from itself the realities and struggles of this world.  In theological terms, this is called (from the Greek word for steward) economia.  I personally would argue that this is the kind of faith to which Christ calls us.  We may not all be notorious tax collectors, but our Lord makes it clear that the option of giving -- from whatever resource we have, however it has come to us -- is always on the table to help to bring each back to the road of discipleship under Him.  After all, He is the Master who gives more than all the rest of us.

The sons of this world are more shrewd in their generation than the sons of light

He also said to His disciples:  "There was a certain rich man who had a steward, and an accusation was brought to him that this man was wasting his goods.  So he called him and said to him, 'What is this I hear about you?  Give an account of your stewardship, for you can no longer be steward.'  Then the steward said within himself, 'What shall I do?  For my master is taking the stewardship away from me.  I cannot dig; I am ashamed to beg.  I have resolved what to do, that when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses.'  So he called every one of his master's debtors to him, and said to the first, 'How much do you owe my master?'  And he said, 'A hundred measures of oil.'  So he said to him, 'Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.'  Then he said to another, 'And how much do you owe?'  So he said, 'A hundred measures of wheat.'  And he said to him, 'Take your bill, and write eighty.'  So the master commended the unjust steward because he had dealt shrewdly.  For the sons of this world are more shrewd in their generation than the sons of light.  And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by unrighteous mammon, that when you fail, they may receive you into an everlasting home."

 - Luke 16:1-9

In yesterday's reading, Jesus gave us the parable of the Prodigal Son.  It is the third in a series He gave when all the tax collectors and the sinners who drew near to Him to hear Him.  The Pharisees and scribes complained, saying, "This Man receives sinners and eats with them."  Jesus responded first with two parables.   Then He said:  "A certain man had two sons.  And the younger of them said to his father, 'Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.'  So he divided to them his livelihood.  And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living.  But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want.  Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.  And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything.  But when he came to himself, he said, 'How many of my father's hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!  I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, and I am no longer worthy to be called your son.  Make me like one of your hired servants."'  And he arose and came to his father.  But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.  And the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.'  But the father said to his servants, 'Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet.  And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry; for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.'  And they began to be merry.  Now his older son was in the field.  And as he came and drew near the house, he heard music and dancing.  So he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant.  And he said to him, 'Your brother has come, and because he has received him safe and sound, your father has killed the fatted calf.'  But he was angry and would not go in.  Therefore his father came out and pleaded with him.  So he answered and said to his father, 'Lo, these many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends.  But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him.'  And he said to him, 'Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours.  It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found.'"

He also said to His disciples:  "There was a certain rich man who had a steward, and an accusation was brought to him that this man was wasting his goods.  So he called him and said to him, 'What is this I hear about you?  Give an account of your stewardship, for you can no longer be steward.'  Then the steward said within himself, 'What shall I do?  For my master is taking the stewardship away from me.  I cannot dig; I am ashamed to beg.  I have resolved what to do, that when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses.'  So he called every one of his master's debtors to him, and said to the first, 'How much do you owe my master?'  And he said, 'A hundred measures of oil.'  So he said to him, 'Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.'  Then he said to another, 'And how much do you owe?'  So he said, 'A hundred measures of wheat.'  And he said to him, 'Take your bill, and write eighty.'  So the master commended the unjust steward because he had dealt shrewdly.  For the sons of this world are more shrewd in their generation than the sons of light.  And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by unrighteous mammon, that when you fail, they may receive you into an everlasting home.  He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much.  Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?  And if you have not been faithful in what is another man's, who will give you what is your own?  No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other.  You cannot serve God and mammon."    We note that the previous parables of the lost sheep, the silver coin, and the prodigal son (above) were given to the Pharisees and scribes who complained that all the tax collectors and sinners came to listen to Jesus.  This parable in today's reading is given to His disciples.   A steward is responsible for managing his master's property and looking after the welfare of his servants.  We can understand the role of those who will serve the Church as stewards, and we consider ourselves stewards of all that is in the world -- as opposed to owners.  My study bible tells us that Jesus contrasts the unrighteous with believers in terms of their expertise at the use of wealth.  The unrighteous (such as this unjust but shrewd steward) know how to make friends using their wealth, but the righteous often fail to do so.  The key is that their use of wealth must be focused on God's purposes of community, in charity.  As my study bible puts it, to make friends for the Kingdom of God, which is accomplished by spending on the needy.      There is, I find, always a hidden exchange in Jesus' teachings:  what we do for those who cannot pay us back, for the least of these, is really storing up a kind of treasure in the Kingdom.  It is the ones left outside who are brought back into community through this behavior, and such "friends" are a part of the Kingdom.  They are the ones about whom Jesus says that "in heaven their angels always behold the face of My Father who is in heaven" (Matthew 18:10). 

Jesus says, "The sons of this world are more shrewd in their generation than the sons of light."  It's a very keen observation, and one filled with a kind of irony.  What, after all, does it mean to make friends for the kingdom of God?  We can look around ourselves and see that power brokers and wealthy of the world often make "friendships" based on, shall we say, the rules of mammon.  That is, in the affairs of ambition and gain, we may see pragmatic partnerships that only make sense on those terms, and used to take advantage of the weak, the less powerful.  But Jesus teaches here that there is a line drawn through all of our affairs, and He seems to suggest that in every negotiation, in the smallest choices, in every affair, there is the choice of what kind of steward we are.  And although Jesus seems to give the example of only money, if you think about it, what wealth we do have control over may include all kinds of things in life:  our voices, our opinions, our capacity to pray for others, to give them a good word.  We can share a meal at our table, or invite those who are alone to come in to sit with us -- there are all kinds of ways that we "make friends" using whatever we have in this world.  Wealth comes in many, many forms -- and currency also comes in many forms.  The question is, what do we do with it?  And, more particularly, Whom do we serve?  Jesus gives us a stark choice:  God or mammon, and makes it clear that we can't serve both.  We're going to have to make up our minds where our treasure is. 

The sons of this world are more shrewd in their generation than the sons of light

 He also said to His disciples:  "There was a certain rich man who had a steward, and an accusation was brought to him that this man was wasting his goods.  So he called him and said to him, 'What is this I hear about you?  Give an account of your stewardship, for you can no longer be steward.'  Then the steward said within himself, 'What shall I do?  For my master is taking the stewardship away from me.  I cannot dig; I am ashamed to beg.  I have resolved what to do, that when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses.'  So he called every one of his master's debtors to him, and said to the first, 'How much do you owe my master?'  And he said, 'A hundred measures of oil.'  So he said to him, 'Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.'  Then he said to another, 'And how much do you owe?'  So he said, 'A hundred measures of wheat.'  And he said to him, 'Take your bill, and write eighty.'  So the master commended the unjust steward because he had dealt shrewdly.  For the sons of this world are more shrewd in their generation than the sons of light.  And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by unrighteous mammon, that when you fail, they may receive you into an everlasting home."

- Luke 16:1-9

In yesterday's reading, we were first given again the setting:  All the tax collectors and the sinners drew near to Jesus to hear Him. And the Pharisees and scribes complained, saying, "This Man receives sinners and eats with them."  And then the reading gave us Jesus' parable of the Prodigal Son, a parable unique to Luke's Gospel.  Jesus said, "A certain man had two sons.  And the younger of them said to his father, 'Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.'  So he divided to them his livelihood.  And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living.  But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want.  Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.  And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything.  But when he came to himself, he said, 'How many of my father's hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!  I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, and I am no longer worthy to be called your son.  Make me like one of your hired servants."'  And he arose and came to his father.  But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.  And the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.'  But the father said to his servants, 'Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet.  And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry; for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.'  And they began to be merry.  Now his older son was in the field.  And as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing.  So he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant.  And he said to him, 'Your brother has come, and because he has received him safe and sound, your father has killed the fatted calf.'  But he was angry and would not go in.  Therefore his father came out and pleaded with him.  So he answered and said to his father, 'Lo, these many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends.  But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him.'  And he said to him, 'Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours.  It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found.'"

He also said to His disciples:  "There was a certain rich man who had a steward, and an accusation was brought to him that this man was wasting his goods.  So he called him and said to him, 'What is this I hear about you?  Give an account of your stewardship, for you can no longer be steward.' "  My study bible tells us that a steward is "a manager of a wealthy man's household and property.  He is called  to give an account because he is being dismissed, as his master no longer trusts him."  A steward is someone who oversees a household or great estate, even that of nobility.  The estate is not his; it is his to manage properly; he's entrusted with another's goods.

"Then the steward said within himself, 'What shall I do?  For my master is taking the stewardship away from me.  I cannot dig; I am ashamed to beg.  I have resolved what to do, that when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses.'  So he called every one of his master's debtors to him, and said to the first, 'How much do you owe my master?'  And he said, 'A hundred measures of oil.'  So he said to him, 'Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.'  Then he said to another, 'And how much do you owe?'  So he said, 'A hundred measures of wheat.'  And he said to him, 'Take your bill, and write eighty.'  So the master commended the unjust steward because he had dealt shrewdly."  My study bible says that "the steward is unjust in his actions, which are not condoned, but his shrewdness is praised.  This is meant as a lesson for the sons of light, the Christian believers, who ought to be as shrewd about their pursuit of godliness as unbelievers are about their businesses."

"And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by unrighteous mammon, that when you fail, they may receive you into an everlasting home."  A note here reads:  "The reference to unrighteous mammon is a warning about the dangers of money, which can corrupt.  The right use of wealth is to make friends among the poor and needy by sharing it with them.  At death, these poor friends will be the first to welcome their benefactor into the eternal Kingdom."

A steward, as we wrote above, is a person who manages another's household, their goods, the wealth of (presumably) a large estate.  As such, it's an important position, one upon which a wealthy landowner or property owner depends.  Perhaps a modern equivalent for a modern economy is in some sense a manager of a company; the owners may be the shareholders, but it's the manager's duties to run the company well, to oversee.  Here the manager or steward is accused of squandering the master's goods.  He seems to have lent out quite freely (in this economic system based on lending of goods).  But in order to settle the accounts, he doesn't call the the debtors into prison or penury.  Instead, he closes the books with favorable terms.  Rather than complaining, the master of the house praises him for his shrewd dealings.  He's come to an agreement, and closed out the outstanding debts.  In this sense, the books are now balanced and the "firm" is ready to move on.  So why isn't the master more upset over his losses?  Let's consider the parable another way:  when we pray "forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors" we're essentially giving our books to the owner, and looking toward the future.  Whatever ways we're to handle those debts, we give up our own understanding and seek that, instead, of the ultimate Owner, of God.  In this sense, we are all stewards of whatever we have in life, whatever we're given as a gift of the Creator.  In this same sense, there are ecological movements among some church members (the Ecumenical Patriarch of the Eastern Orthodox Church is known as "the Green Patriarch") in which this notion of steward is taken to apply to the whole of the earth, to all the beauty and natural resources entrusted to us by God for good management.  In this sense, it's important that we understand that the term steward, as a kind of metaphor for each one of us, doesn't denote ownership.  Everything we have is a gift; therefore we are to think of "good management" in all things.  So when we pray, "forgive us our debts,"  we're actually talking about a cosmic economy, if you will, in which the owner of all things is the one to whom we turn for real justice, for a true way of managing the books.  Our sense of this is limited.  God's economy -- and God's justice -- may not work the way in which we think it does; we simply may not have all the "facts."  Therefore here Jesus is encouraging us to understand life as more than a kind of balance sheet based on what we feel that we are owed.  It's perfectly consistent with the prayer that He has taught us, the Our Father.  It's consistent with His teachings on Judgment, in which it's really a kind of economy mediated by God that we are to be concerned with -- not one in which we are concerned solely about what we think we are owed by someone else.  It's a grand sort of exchange system, in which all goods are really owned by the Great Owner, if you will, not by us as individuals, and it's up to us to consider what that really means and how it impacts each of us.  How do we use our relationships we're given?  How do we manage them?  How do we use our talents?  Our resources?  Our gifts given us, no matter what they may be?  In this grand economy, we're only the stewards.  But the steward's job is ultimately of great importance.  The owner is counting on us, and counting on us to manage shrewdly and well, and in His interests.  So let's think about that when we make our choices, our decisions; everything should be mediated by the Master's call, His ultimate take on our "books," and what God calls a good balance, a great profit, a trade.  Let us consider His Way.

The sons of this world are more shrewd in their generation than the sons of light

He also said to His disciples: "There was a certain rich man who had a steward, and an accusation was brought to him that this man was wasting his goods. So he called him and said to him, 'What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your stewardship, for you can no longer be steward.' Then the steward said within himself, 'What shall I do? For my master is taking the stewardship away from me. I cannot dig; I am ashamed to beg. I have resolved what to do, that when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses.' So he called every one of his master's debtors to him, and said to the first, 'How much do you owe my master?' And he said, 'A hundred measures of oil.' So he said to him, 'Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.' Then he said to another, 'And how much do you owe?' So he said, 'A hundred measures of wheat.' And he said to him, 'Take your bill, and write eighty.' So the master commended the unjust steward because he had dealt shrewdly. For the sons of this world are more shrewd in their generation than the sons of light. And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by unrighteous mammon, that when you fail, they may receive you into an everlasting home."

- Luke 16:1-9

In yesterday's reading, Jesus gives us the parable of the Prodigal Son. This parable, so paramount in expressing the love of God - and the joy in heaven - for those who return to Him, is found only in Luke's Gospel. We remember that Jesus is speaking as He has sat at table with sinners and tax collectors, for which the Pharisees and scribes have criticized Him.

He also said to His disciples: "There was a certain rich man who had a steward, and an accusation was brought to him that this man was wasting his goods. So he called him and said to him, 'What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your stewardship, for you can no longer be steward.'" My study bible notes, "Steward: a manager of a wealthy man's household and property. He is called to give an account (v. 2) because he is being dismissed, as his master no longer trusts him." Jesus begins a new parable. This time it's not addressed to the Pharisees and scribes, but to His disciples, those who would follow Him.

"Then the steward said within himself, 'What shall I do? For my master is taking the stewardship away from me. I cannot dig; I am ashamed to beg. I have resolved what to do, that when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses.' So he called every one of his master's debtors to him, and said to the first, 'How much do you owe my master?' And he said, 'A hundred measures of oil.' So he said to him, 'Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.' Then he said to another, 'And how much do you owe?' So he said, 'A hundred measures of wheat.' And he said to him, 'Take your bill, and write eighty.' For the sons of this world are more shrewd in their generation than the sons of light. " My study bible notes here: "The steward is unjust in his actions, which are not condoned, but his shrewdness is praised. This is meant as a lesson for the sons of light, the Christian believers, who ought to be as shrewd about their pursuit of godliness as unbelievers are about their businesses." I confess that this parable often has me stumped. But on the other hand, we do see the steward doing something smart (shrewd) - he is coming to terms with the people who owe his master, and settling, which is far better than unpaid debt on the books. Elsewhere in Luke's Gospel, Jesus says, "When you go with your adversary to the magistrate, make every effort along the way to settle with him, lest he drag you to the judge, the judge deliver you to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison." By coming to terms with what is owed, the steward settles accounts and he does so mercifully. My study bible suggests that this is a parable for the disciples to understand how to pursue righteousness, with what effort, spirit, creativity and seriousness or single-mindedness. So, if debts are like sins (as in "forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors"), then how does this analogy of the unjust steward teach us something about our own conduct in pursuit of righteousness? What does the law of balance teach us then?

"And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by unrighteous mammon, that when you fail, they may receive you into an everlasting home." My study bible notes here: "The reference to unrighteous mammon is a warning about the dangers of money, which can corrupt. The right use of wealth is to make friends among the poor and needy by sharing it with them. At death, these poor friends will be the first to welcome their benefactor into the eternal Kingdom." I think it's important that we understand the personal nature of the steward's actions. Yes, he's shrewd - but on the other hand, it is he who deals, in the end, creatively and wisely with others in order to settle accounts, cut his master's losses, and creatively find a way to remove the debt from the books as his master would like.

How do we think of money? Jesus refers to it as "unrighteous mammon." How do we use money? If you think about it, the whole of the notion of forgiveness is a change upon the ways in which our common notions of money would lead us to think. But any banker may understand the wisdom - the shrewdness - of this steward. The Greek word for "shrewd" may also be translated as "prudent" or "wise" -- that is, the steward uses a worldly wisdom here. As we understand that He has sat at table with tax collectors and sinners who have gathered to Him, perhaps there is a moral teaching here for both those among these sinners who would follow Him and for those who are already His disciples (among whom there are tax collectors, such as Matthew, Evangelist and one of the Twelve Apostles). How do we deal wisely and prudently in seeking salvation and merciful behavior, making peace and settling accounts? Neither for the worldly in this example, nor for the spiritual "sons of light" is it "wise and prudent" to stick to the bottom line, a rigid text, an inflexible demand. I read on another commentary that "the children of this world" - that is, those whose concern is for worldly things alone - is a phrase by which Jews would designate Gentiles. So perhaps we may understand this parable as an opening door to the Gentiles and outsiders, and the sinners and tax collectors, who come to Christ. Their pursuit of worldly understanding can be claimed and used by the kingdom, as those who turn their allegiance to God and to the pursuit of godly things and the kingdom of heaven. I picture it as a kind of double-door, that swings to and fro, giving in to the world of the kingdom a place for the Gentiles and sinners, and for their vehemence and shrewdness in pursuit of that which is truly valuable. And they have something to teach the sons of light: that we may settle accounts along the way, and thus claim converts for the kingdom, alliances, and merciful behavior toward those who cannot pay more. Just as in yesterday's reading, in the parable of the Prodigal Son, we learn of the father's over-the-top, boundless love, so in this parable we are taught to go over those boundaries into mercy in pursuit of this kingdom. This is more shrewd than sticking to the bottom line, because it forms bonds and alliances and settles accounts mercifully. How do you settle accounts? What do you give up for the kingdom? What does prudence, shrewdness, mean to you?