You cannot be the slave of both God and of money.
When we read this, we might think that we have to give up everything we own to be authentic witnesses of the Gospel. Money is an important part of our lives. There is no question that we need money to put food on the family table, clothes on our bodies and a roof over our heads. In today’s world, where the cost of living keeps rising, how can we champion Jesus’ teaching, and do justice to our own responsibilities – individually and collectively – as mothers, fathers, friends, carers, teachers, providers, disciples, and activists?
If we recontextualise the question from “Am I serving God or money?” to “How important is it to be wealthy?” we tap into a reality check of sorts to help us to consider what we are prioritising. It is so easy to get caught up in the false notion that things can make us happy, even though we know that the pleasure they offer is temporary.
Humility is crucial, as we learn from the steward in today’s Gospel. Some suggest that the amount taken off the bills represents the interest the steward himself was charging. Thus, we learn this from the steward, who, despite acting dishonestly, does something commendable.
Just like the steward in today’s Gospel, what changes might we need to make so that we can serve others more effectively?