September 18, 2016 - God's Call to Share His Gifts

The Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year C

Reading 1: Amos 8: 4-7
Response: Psalm 113
Reading II:  1  Timothy 2: 1-8
Gospel: Luke 16: 1-13 or 10-13


In the “Parable of the Unjust Steward,” Jesus notes the mercy of God toward the Steward. The steward was one who managed the property of the Master (owner) and collected produce or money from the renters. He was allowed a commission or fee for each transaction. However, according to the Mishnah (a post-biblical tradition in Judaic literature), there is no evidence that the steward would be given a commission as high as 50%. In this story, not only had he failed in the management of the master’s property, he had also tried to cover up his errors
by cheating.

As humans we are prone to making mistakes and are usually readily excused. However, being deceitful leads to distrust with more serious consequences.

In the Gospel, it is noted that one “cannot serve both God and mammon [wealth].” This does not mean that being wealthy means one does not serve God. There are some wealthy people who are aware that their wealth has been accumulated, not only by hard work, but also due to God’s gifts of health, education, and favorable circumstances, for which they are indebted to the Lord. They see themselves as stewards for God, their Master. They use their gifts in a variety of ways by volunteering time and talent, as well by the the opportunity to help others financially. 

At a time when the Indian peoples were being driven off their lands and a prime source of survival was being destroyed by the ruthless killing of the buffalo, The Drexel family was noted for their philanthropy and their generosity to the Indian Missions. They even traveled by stagecoach to see the plight of these people and bring them assistance.

Closer to home, in Philadelphia, they were aware of the plight of African-Americans who had recently been released from slavery, but had no education and means of providing for themselves and their families. Some even chose to go back to work for their former owners in order to survive. The Drexels became aware of the need for a good education for these people so that they could develop their skills for profitable employment.

Several times a week, Mrs. Emma Bouvier Drexel together with her three young daughters, would open their doors to the poor and provide them with food, clothing, rent money, etc. Involvement in this charity allowed the young ladies
to become engaged with the poor so that they related to them on a very
personal level.  

Even as Francis Drexel made out his will, after assuring that his daughters would be well cared for, he included many charities. Not aware that Katharine would be founding a Community to help the poor among the Black and Native American peoples, much of his money was distributed to those charities on
his death.

While most of us do not have very large resources to reach out monetarily to help others, wealth comes in many other forms. It can be love, expressed by a smile, a listening ear, or a helping hand. These and many other ways of reaching out can make a person feel as if he/she had been given a
million dollars.

One of my favorite poems by Nikki Giovanni, a famous African-American poetess, attests to this:

Nikki-Rosa

Related Poem Content Details

BY NIKKI GIOVANNI

childhood remembrances are always a drag   

if you’re Black 

you always remember things like living in Woodlawn   

with no inside toilet 

and if you become famous or something 

they never talk about how happy you were to have   

your mother 

all to yourself and 

how good the water felt when you got your bath   

from one of those 

big tubs that folk in chicago barbecue in   

and somehow when you talk about home   

it never gets across how much you 

understood their feelings 

as the whole family attended meetings about Hollydale 

and even though you remember 

your biographers never understand 

your father’s pain as he sells his stock   

and another dream goes 

And though you’re poor it isn’t poverty that 

concerns you 

and though they fought a lot 

it isn’t your father’s drinking that makes any difference   

but only that everybody is together and you 

and your sister have happy birthdays and very good   

Christmases 

and I really hope no white person ever has cause   

to write about me 

because they never understand 

Black love is Black wealth and they’ll 

probably talk about my hard childhood 

and never understand that 

all the while I was quite happy

Let us be good stewards of the Master. Let us share his unique gifts to us, whatever they may be.  The more we share, the more we are enriched. That is how we can delight the heart of our Heavenly Father!!!