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Manila Bulletin devider Opinion devider No servant can serve two masters

No servant can serve two masters

Published Nov 10, 2023 04:03 pm

REFLECTIONS TODAY

Gird your loins

Using the parable of the Dishonest Steward, Jesus asks his disciples to use wealth wisely. It is often said, “Money is a great servant but a bad master” (Francis Bacon). When a person puts his energies in making money and acquiring more wealth, this occupies most of his time and energy; eventually money becomes an enslaving “god.” 


Jesus caricatures the Pharisees as “lovers of money,” for they justify their prosperity as blessings. Jesus calls this hypocrisy since they use their wealth to gain human esteem. What is “exalted” by human standards can be an “abomination” in God’s eyes.


For Luke, wealth is not so much a reward for righteousness as a means of blessing others. 


The disciple is merely a steward of God’s wealth, which he intends to be shared with everyone. 


Those with more wealth have the social responsibility to share with the poor, and in this sense they serve one master, God.

 

Gospel • Luke 16:9-15 
Jesus said to his disciples: “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 God and mammon.” 
The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all these things and sneered at him. 


And he said to them, “You justify yourselves in the sight of others, but God knows your hearts; for what is of human esteem is an abomination in the sight of God.”

Source: “365 Days with the Lord 2023,” St. Paul’s, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 632-895-9701; E-mail: [email protected]; Website: http://www.stpauls.ph.

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