Amos 8.4-7 | 1 Timothy 2.1-8a | Luke 16.1-13

Today, with Mother Church, we begin the twenty-fifth week of Ordinary Time, in September, the month of the Bible.

To achieve excellent results, Mother Church teaches Her children the method of Prayerful Reading of the Bible, Lectio Divina.

In short, after invoking the Holy Spirit, one begins by reading a previously selected biblical text (the Gospel indicated by Mother Church for each day is suggested). In this stage, one identifies the characters, places, most important phrases, and repeated words. A good Bible has footnotes, an introduction to each book, maps, and a biblical dictionary, all of which enrich the reading experience.

Next, one meditates on the biblical text, bringing its message to personal, family, ecclesial, and social life. 

The next step is prayer based on the biblical text, talking with God, praising Him, begging for His forgiveness, asking for His blessings and graces.

Then, in the contemplation stage, one rests in God and experiences His love and consolation, silencing and calming the heart.

Finally, one sets a commitment for the day. It is recommended to have a spiritual diary and write in it the thoughts, feelings, and commitments of the Prayerful Reading of the Bible.

Today, the evangelist Luke tells us the parable of the dishonest and cunning steward, concluding that one cannot serve both God and money.

Jesus and His contemporaries knew that stewards charged debtors higher amounts than pre-determined, profiting from it.

So Jesus told His disciples the parable of the steward who, upon discovering his dishonesty and before being removed, cunningly renounced his profits to gain the friendship of the debtors, hoping to be welcomed into their home. Jesus said that the children of light must learn from the children of this world to use money wisely to do good and reach eternal dwellings. By being faithful in managing the goods of others (small things), the disciples would be preparing to manage the true good (great things).

In conclusion, Jesus told His disciples that it was impossible to serve both God and money, motivating them to serve God.

This teaching of Jesus is particularly important for Christians in contemporary society. Managing money and possessions is a challenging task in a world that daily demonstrates that it serves money and not God. It is necessary to imbue family, national, and international economies with the values ​​of the Gospel. It is necessary to renounce corruption, consumerism, and the concentration of wealth, which have condemned people to poverty and the environment to deterioration. 

Today, the prophet Amos tells us about the divine condemnation of the dishonesty of Jewish merchants in Israel in the 8th century BC.

The Lord swore that He would not forget what they did: they mistreated the humble and poor of the land, diminished measures, increased weights, and tampered with scales. Driven by greed, the merchants violated social protection laws. For example, the poor were entitled to the remainder of the wheat harvest; but the merchants even offered this remnant for sale.

Thus, it is clear that the lord of those Jewish merchants was no longer God, but money. And when this happened, the poor were the first to suffer.

Greed and ambition threaten true economic and social prosperity. The cry of the wronged poor reaches the ears of God, who comes to their aid (cf. Exodus 3:7-9). The poor must be considered in the economy of nations, ensuring professional training and job opportunities so that they can sustain themselves with dignity.

Today, the apostle Paul speaks to us in his first letter to Timothy about prayers for those who govern and for all who hold high office.

The apostle wanted men everywhere to pray, lifting holy hands, without anger or arguments.

Paul knew that for Jesus Christ to be preached and the truth to be known, a peaceful and serene social environment was highly necessary.

Faithful and sincere prayer reaches the ears and heart of God and produces fruits of personal and social renewal. The Christian community must pray always and for everyone, including those in government, that they may serve God, not money, by being honest, making correct decisions so that the Gospel may be preached, by guaranteeing the rights of the poor, and by preserving the environment.

Bless, Lord, the leaders of nations and all people established in dignity. May Your Holy Spirit enlighten their understanding and expand their hearts in generosity. Amen.