Episode 64 | Shrewd Rewards?

[00:00:05] Hello, my name is Sally Moriarty-Flask. Welcome to: From His Word to Our Hearts, my weekly Bible Study podcast. Together we will explore the readings to be proclaimed at the Catholic Mass on Sunday, September 21, 2025, the 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time. This week's episode is entitled: Shrewd Rewards? And in these readings, we are instructed not to be consumed by the things of this world, but to use them to help others, especially the poor and the needy. As we journey through the readings this week, consider the following: Jesus reminds us that we cannot pursue wealth and be his disciples because if we try to do both, our loyalties will be divided. But if we are found faithful to Jesus amid the things of this world, we will receive true riches in the kingdom of heaven. So, how do we accomplish all of that? [00:01:07] Let's begin in prayer: In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen. Heavenly Father, we praise you and we thank you for all the good things you have created. Teach us how to use wealth, not be possessed by it. Help us remain loyal to you rather than the things of this world, and in so doing, learn how to rightly help the poor and the needy. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen. Now that we've opened our hearts in prayer, let's listen to what God is telling us in the Scriptures. [00:01:44] Our Gospel this week is from Luke 16: 1-13. [00:01:51] “[Jesus said to his disciples:] ‘There was a rich man who had a steward, and charges were brought to him that this man was wasting his goods. And he called him and said to him, “What is this that I hear about you? Turn in the account of your stewardship, for you can no longer be steward.” And the steward said to himself, “What shall I do, since my master is taking the stewardship away from me? I am not strong enough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg. I have decided what to do, so that people may receive me into their houses when I am put out of the stewardship.” So, summoning his master's debtors one by one, he said to the first, “How much do you owe my master?” He said, “A hundred measures of oil.” And 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?” He said, “A hundred measures of wheat.” He said to him, “Take your bill, and write eighty.” The master commended the dishonest steward for his prudence; for the sons of this world are wiser in their own generation than the sons of light. And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous mammon, so that when it fails they may receive you into the eternal habitations. He who is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much; and he who is dishonest in a very little is dishonest also in much. If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will entrust to you the true riches? And if you have not been faithful in that which is another's, who will give you that which is your own? No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.’” This week we return to our Ordinary Time Gospel from Saint Luke. Unfortunately, by not hearing our regular passage last week - because of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross - we missed all of chapter 15 which presented us with three Parables: the Parable of the Lost Sheep, the Lost Coin, and the Prodigal Son. [00:04:24] This week, we find ourselves at the beginning of chapter 16 where we hear the Parable of the Dishonest Steward. This parable often seems confounding to us, but it is - at its heart - still a lesson that we need to be prepared for judgment before we can enter the kingdom of heaven. And notice to whom this parable is addressed, Jesus is speaking to his disciples… that includes us. So, let's listen to what Jesus is saying… [00:05:01]] “There was a rich man who had a steward,” As we know, the wealthy are not typically heroes in Luke's Gospel, so that should grab our attention immediately. [00:05:14] And remember, a steward was a head servant responsible for managing the finances and the day-to-day operations of a master's estate. This particular steward had some issues though, as we hear… “charges were brought to [the rich man] that this [steward] was wasting his goods.” Keep in mind we were supposed to have heard the parable of the Prodigal Son last week, which would have prepared us for what we hear this week. The steward was wasting the master's estate just as the Prodigal Son wasted his inheritance from his father. “And [the rich man] called [the steward] and said to him, ‘What is this that I hear about you? Turn in the account of your stewardship, for you can no longer be steward.’” [00:06:08] That is exactly the outcome we would expect, isn't it? If an employer loses confidence in the honesty and credibility of an employee, then that employee can no longer serve in a position that requires trust. [00:06:24] “The steward said to himself,” Okay, Listen to that again… “The steward said to himself,” - that sets up everything that follows. [00:06:35] Notice where this man's attention is focused… it's all on himself… it's all about himself. “What shall I do, since my master is taking the stewardship away from me? I am not strong enough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg. I have decided what to do, so that it is people may receive me into their houses when I am put out of the stewardship.” All right - I read that differently this time, but hopefully you saw the reason why. This steward devises a totally self-centered plan for no other reason than to ensure his own future comfort. He does not repent the mismanagement of his master's estate, he has no desire to learn from his mistakes and make himself a better person, his only goal is to make sure that he himself will be comfortable. Let's see how he plans to arrange that… [00:07:51] “So, summoning his master's debtors” Those would be people that owed various goods to the rich man's estate. [00:07:59] “[summoning them] one by one, he said to the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ He said, ‘A hundred measures of oil.’ The oil there would have been olive oil. Olive oil was used for a variety of purposes… it was part of temple sacrifices, it was used for food, for medicinal ointments, for perfumes, for anointing kings, and it was also burned in lamps to produce light - depending on the quality of the oil. And to put that in modern terms, 100 measures of oil would be the equivalent of 800 gallons of olive oil. That's a lot, even by today's standards! “And [the steward] said to him, ‘Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.’” [00:08:53] So, this dishonest steward just cut this man's debt in half. We don't know why the debt was so high, nor do we know why the debt was lowered to the point that it was lowered… but we do know the steward authorized that change without consulting anyone else. “Then [the steward] said to another, ‘And how much do you owe?’ He said, ‘A hundred measures of wheat.’” [00:09:19] Again, in modern terms, that would be a thousand bushels. “He said to him, ‘Take your bill, and write eighty.’” This time the dishonest steward only cuts the debt by 20%, but again only on his own authority. [00:09:37] After all of that behind-the-scenes wrangling, we would expect the steward's actions to be condemned as unethical. Instead, we hear something that is wildly mystifying! [00:09:53] “The master commended the dishonest steward for his prudence;” [00:09:59] At this point, we are all mentally asking… what just happened? It seems that the master's estate lost value in each of these exchanges so we wonder how any businessman could possibly applaud the steward's actions. [00:10:17] However, there is a subtlety there that we are missing. It is quite likely that the amount by which the steward decreased each debt was not the actual debt owed to the master, but rather something the dishonest steward added on initially simply to benefit himself… some type of commission or interest charge that the steward levied in excess of the actual debt and which he would then pocket when the debt was paid. Likely the master never knew any of that, or if he knew about it, he turned a blind eye to what was happening. Now, since this steward would no longer be in a position to collect those funds, and since the amount still owed was likely accurate, the steward earned some goodwill without actually cheating his master. And we need to understand that the master is not commending the steward's actions! [00:11:29] If we think about what the parable said, it told us that he is commending the steward's prudence - the cunning side deals he made to ensure his own earthly comfort. There was nothing admirable about this dishonest steward; his unethical practices are why he lost his position in the first place. [00:11:57] And the steward knew that he could do nothing to retain his position… that opportunity was lost. He didn't expect his master's mercy, nor did he receive it. What the master did acknowledge, however, was that the steward made some shrewd decisions in order to bolster his own precarious future… since those whose debts were decreased will look more favorably on the steward after he loses his job. Jesus continues… “for the sons of this world are wiser in their own generation than the sons of light.” Applauding unethical behavior seems out of character for Jesus, but that isn't really what's happening. [00:12:42] Instead, Jesus is saying that those who are focused only on the things of earth are wiser in the ways of the world than those whose focus is on the kingdom of heaven. Those whose focus is primarily on the kingdom are often considered to be innocent or naive. Looked at from that perspective, Jesus words make more sense. [00:13:09] “And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous mammon,” Mammon is an Aramaic word for wealth. And what Jesus means is that when we have more than we need, we should be generous with that excess - that unrighteous mammon or unrighteous wealth. Jesus, our Master, is telling us to learn how our worldly wealth can be wisely given away in order to do good. [00:13:49] We can do good by giving alms, helping the needy, donating to charities, and using the excess wealth we have to help others. “so that when it fails” And it will… earthly wealth always comes to an end. [00:14:12] “they may receive you into the eternal habitations.” Meaning that those who are generous in this life will be viewed more favorably in the kingdom. Then Jesus’ focus shifts from prudence to faithfulness. [00:14:33] “He who is faithful in a very little is faithful also in more much; and he who is dishonest in a very little is dishonest also in much.” [00:14:48] Jesus is talking about responsibility, not value. He is saying that faithfulness is a measure of how seriously we take our responsibilities. [00:15:07] So if we are reliable, trustworthy, and honest, then what is put into our keeping is immaterial. We would be as responsible for $5 as we would for $5,000 or even $5 million; we would be as trustworthy taking care of our neighbor's puppy as we would be if we were watching our neighbor's children or their house. But the opposite is also true… if we are reckless, irresponsible, and deceitful, then anything put into our keeping is put at risk. [00:15:52] Meaning it would be unlikely for anyone to even put $5 into our keeping, let alone $10; and equally unlikely that we would be asked to watch a goldfish, let alone a puppy. So basically, Jesus is saying either a person is trustworthy or they aren't. And again, the value of what is put into a person's keeping is immaterial… it's their sense of responsibility that is being measured. “If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will entrust to you the true riches?” [00:16:36] In other words, if we cannot be generous with the things of this earth - if we don't help the poor, the homeless, immigrants and refugees, the sick, those who are in prison, and truthfully, the very land we live on, the air we breathe and the water we drink - if we turn our backs on all of that, then we can't lay claim to the true wealth of the kingdom of heaven. “And if you have not been faithful in that which is another's, who will give you that which is your own?” To understand that question, we first must understand that everything belongs to God, and everything we have is a gift from God. It's easy to look at the wealth we accumulate as our own and say, well, God didn't give me that. But God did create us with abilities, with talents, with things that we have used to amass that wealth. [00:17:45] And that is what Jesus means when he says “that which is another's” - he is asking us if we are faithful with the gifts God has bestowed upon us. [00:18:02] Because what we do with God's gifts are a measure of our love for God! [00:18:10] So are we generous or greedy? Are we compassionate or callous? Do we see God in others and in the created world around us? Or do we not even bother to look? [00:18:30] Because if we cannot be faithful with what God gives us here on earth, is it right to assume that we would be welcomed into the place prepared for us in God's kingdom? “No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.” [00:19:00] What Jesus means here is that we cannot allow our loyalties to be divided. We either trust in material wealth or we trust in God… but we cannot do both. [00:19:15] If we come to believe that the things of this world actually belong to us - if we see them as things we are entitled to rather than as gifts - that is when we begin to place our trust in those things rather than in God. [00:19:38] And if we are not careful, our possessions will end up possessing us. [00:19:47] So how do we remain faithful to Jesus amid the overwhelming temptations of this world? Well, Jesus’ parable leaves us both an example and a warning. [00:20:01] The example teaches us to make every effort we can to prepare for our future destiny in heaven… we should be generous and use the wealth we have wherever it's needed, whether it is to help other people or to improve the natural world. [00:20:22] The warning we are left with is that we must not be willing to trade the comforts of this passing world for the eternal comforts of our heavenly home. [00:20:37] That takes us to our First Reading, which is from Amos 8: 4-7. “Hear this, you who trample upon the needy, and bring the poor of the land to an end, saying, ‘When will the new moon be over, that we may sell grain? And the sabbath, that we may offer wheat for sale, that we may make the ephah small and the shekel great, and deal deceitfully with false balances, that we may buy the poor for silver and the needy for a pair of sandals, and sell the refuse of the wheat?’ The LORD has sworn by the pride of Jacob: ‘Surely I will never forget any of their deeds.’” Amos is one of the twelve minor prophets in the Old Testament. And remember, they are not minor because they are unimportant - they are minor because their books are simply shorter. Amos lived in the 8th century BC in the Southern Kingdom of Judah during the reign of King Uzziah. However, God called him to travel to and prophesy in the Northern Kingdom of Israel, whose king was Jeroboam II. [00:21:50] This was a time of great peace and economic prosperity in Israel, which, unfortunately but perhaps inevitably, led to religious hypocrisy and moral corruption among Israel's wealthy citizens who lived in comfort and security, all the while exploiting those who were less fortunate. Amos was not a prophet by trade, he was a shepherd and a farmer, who was called by God to warn Israel to change its ways, otherwise it would suffer divine judgment. Amos prophecies were stark, direct, and uncompromising. [00:22:40] In a way, Amos transformed the prophetic landscape in the Bible. He was by no means the first of Israel's prophets, but he was the first to leave behind a record of his work written in his own hand. And his prophetic focus wasn't solely on Israel's fidelity to the Covenant, but also on its moral and ethical integrity, or lack thereof. Amos’ preaching on morality and ethics is why he is often called the prophet of Social Justice. [00:23:20] And the theme of this book aligns quite well with modern Catholic Social Teaching, although the message today is presented in a kinder, gentler manner. And remember, the Bible doesn't demonize power in and of itself - after all God himself is all-powerful - but it does demonize power that is wielded unjustly. [00:23:46] So, economic and political power are not inherently evil, but they must be informed and constrained by ethics and by the true and faithful worship of God, who is just, loving and merciful. In other words, it is what we do with power and how we wield it that makes it a force either for good or for evil. And the same can be said of wealth - what we do with our worldly wealth, how we use it - is what makes it beneficial or detrimental. [00:24:29] So, let's listen to what Amos has to say… “Hear this, you who trample upon the needy, and bring the poor of the land to an end,” Remember I said that Amos' words were uncompromising? Well, this is a pretty graphic example of that. [00:24:46] And he's saying, in no uncertain terms, that the actions of the wealthy are simply destroying the poor. In response, what are the wealthy saying? [00:24:59] “When will the new moon be over, that we may sell grain? And the sabbath, that we may offer wheat for sale,” We lack the proper framework to understand those questions, so let me explain. How business was conducted in Israel was regulated by the Torah (what Christians call the Pentateuch - the first five books of the Bible). Leviticus 23 in particular, declared that it was forbidden to do business on the sabbath, and Numbers 28 declared the same about the monthly New Moon Feast. Hence the questions about the new moon and the Sabbath coming to an end… these merchants want to know when they can resume their business dealings. And why are they so keen to resume their operations? “that we may make the ephah small and the shekel great, and deal deceitfully with false balances,” [00:25:58] Again, let's put all that in perspective… the ephah was a measure of dry weight equal to about half a bushel, so if the plan is to make the ephah small, that means providing even less grain while still charging full price. [00:26:17] Then they say, let's make the shekel great. A shekel was a coin weighing about 11 grams of silver, meaning it would have been worth about $15 in today's money. At the time of Amos, a shekel would have represented about four days’ wages. [00:26:39] So if they plan to make the shekel great, they intend to artificially inflate its value… meaning that what is offered for sale (which we now know is less than what it should be) will now be offered not just at full price, but actually at an inflated price… an artificially inflated price. [00:27:05] And that last phrase - dealing deceitfully with balances - means that they will also cheat about how things are measured. A balance is a type of scale - a device used to measure how much something weighs. I have a science background, so in chemistry class we used to use two-pan balances, which compare the weight of something unknown to the weight of something that's known. If you don't have a chemistry background, it might help you to picture the scales held aloft by a blindfolded Lady Justice instead. [00:27:43] And rather than using an accurate balance (accurate scales), these merchants want to use false or inaccurate balances and there are a whole host of ways that that can be accomplished. Essentially, what these merchants are really saying is how soon can we get back to cheating our customers and inflating our profits? [00:28:08] Interestingly enough, the Torah has something to say about all of that, too! In Leviticus 19, it says: “You shall have just balances, just weights, and a just ephah.” [00:28:24] So, not only are these merchants unethical from a purely business standpoint, they are also religiously hypocritical. On the one hand, they're saying, oh, let's wait until it's religiously lawful for us to resume our business practices, but the practices we undertake are going to be unethical. And that is at the heart of Amos' message. He is condemning the religious hypocrisy and the moral corruption that is rampant among Israel's wealthy citizens. So why do these merchants utilize these unethical practices? How do they justify their actions? “that we may buy the poor for silver and the needy for a pair of sandals, and sell the refuse of the wheat?” [00:29:22] With those words, we know that we can abandon the hope of any reasonable actions from these merchants. They see their customers as having no inherent worth or dignity, and they have no compunction against turning them into slaves as cheaply and easily as possible. [00:29:45] And when they say “sell the refuse of the wheat” - what they mean by that is that they are willing to sell even the chaff (the husks and stems that should have been winnowed out and burned during the harvest). “The LORD has sworn by the pride of Jacob:” Again, we need to understand what those words mean. God himself is the pride of Jacob, so the LORD has sworn by himself. And what does he swear? [00:30:23] “Surely I will never forget any of their deeds.” [00:30:30] God sees more than just cheating… God sees all the ruthlessness of the wealthy in Israel, and he will never forget what they have done. The unlawful business practices, the lack of concern for the less fortunate, the deliberate and unrepentant cheating… all of that deprived the poor and the needy of the basic necessities of life, which - in turn - deprived them of their health, and inevitably hastened their deaths. We're not talking here about just a few unethical business practices! We are talking about systematic, intentional harm done to those who cannot afford to be harmed… those who are living on the margins in the first place and who will suffer irreparable harm. These words are not words we can afford to ignore, and that relates back to our Gospel. [00:31:50] If we look at the Gospel and see the Dishonest Steward as just another weak human being acting badly, we are less likely to take this reading as the warning it is intended to be. So, amidst all the temptations of this world, amidst all of the wealth that we have - particularly here in the United States, as a country, as a society - we must put that at the service of others! We must put that at the service of the poor and the needy. That is what God is telling us to do, therefore, that is what we must do. [00:32:39] That brings us to our Responsorial Psalm, which is Psalm 113, and the refrain is: “Praise the LORD who raises the poor from the dust.” [00:32:49] If you listen regularly, you know that I always try to point out any significant differences between the RSV translation (which is what I use for this Bible Study) and the NAB translation (which is the basis of the Catholic Lectionary) or the Grail Psalter (which is becoming the preferred Psalm text for liturgical use). While this Psalm is similar in the RSV and the NAB - the NAB actually says: “Praise the Lord who lifts up the poor” - the Grail translation, however, is interesting. Regardless of its textual source, the refrain is a combination of the first half of verse one (sort of) and the second half of verse seven. In the Grail translation, that will probably end up being something like: “Praise the LORD, from the ash heap he raises the poor.” I have no idea what will be sung at Masses this weekend, I'm just alerting you to the variations in the different texts. All that aside, here are the verses: “Praise, O servants of the LORD, praise the name of the LORD! Blessed be the name of the LORD from this time forth and for evermore!” “The LORD is high above all nations, and his glory above the heavens! Who is like the LORD our God, who is seated on high, who looks far down upon the heavens and the earth?” “He raises the poor from the dust, and lifts the needy from the ash heap, to make them sit with princes, with the princes of his people.” [00:34:32] This Psalm is a Hymn of Praise to God, and it is one of the Hallel Psalms (Psalms 113-118). [00:34:41] Those Hallel Psalms were sung at Jewish festivals like Passover and Booths or Tabernacles. The message of this Psalm is so fundamental and so universal that there is really no difference between what the Jewish people would understand about it and the lesson that we, as Christians, need to learn from it. The Psalmist writes that God is glorious, and that his name is to be praised precisely because he is both enthroned above the heavens and yet still active on earth, lifting up the lowly. Each stanza of the Psalm, as they are arranged this week, highlights one of those themes. The first stanza instructs us to praise God's name; the second describes his place above the heavens and above the earth; and the third reminds us that he is attentive to the poor and the needy and active on their behalf here on earth. It's quite evident why this Psalm was paired with our passage from Amos and from this week's Gospel, because it really reinforces the lessons presented to us in both of those passages. [00:36:07] That takes us to our Second Reading, which is from 1 Timothy 2: 1-8. “[Beloved:] First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all men, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life, godly and respectful in every way. This is good, and it is acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, the testimony to which was given at the proper time. For this I was appointed a preacher and apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth. I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling.” [00:37:34] 1 Timothy is one of Paul's Pastoral Epistles, along with 2 Timothy and Titus. At one time Paul was universally acknowledged as the author of all three letters until some debate about that authorship arose in the 19th century. That debate has, by no means, been authoritatively or decisively settled one way or another. Attesting that Paul is the author of these letters is certainly valid and still widely accepted… just know that there is still some lingering uncertainty in some circles. This would have been the second of three passages from 1 Timothy that we would hear this summer, but we missed last week's passage because of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. [00:38:26] In that passage, Paul entrusted the gospel to Timothy in order to protect its integrity from damage done by false teachers. And remember, when Paul says gospel, he does not mean the written Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Those Gospels would not been in existence - in the form that we know them today. [00:38:54] What Paul means by gospel is the good news of the life and teachings of Jesus. [00:39:03] In this passage, Paul deals with leadership and organization in the Christian community. In fact, this is the first Pastoral Letter to address those subjects in any form or fashion. Paul tells Timothy that government - or any civil authority - must work for the common good… for the good of all. [00:39:37] And he says that the Christian life is fully compatible with good citizenship, but he also says that good citizenship is born out of piety (meaning faith in God and adherence to the teachings of Jesus), but it is also born out of a strong moral code, and upright, ethical behavior. If any of those things are missing, then the person is neither a good Christian nor a good citizen. [00:40:18] So, let's listen to what Paul has to say… “[Beloved:] First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all men, for kings and all who are in high positions,” In short, we should pray for everyone… but, in particular, we should also pray for civic leaders, for members of government (whatever that government leader looks like) so that they understand NOT that they are free to do whatever they want, but that their actions must benefit ALL people. They must benefit the society which has been put into their charge. [00:41:13] And why must they do that? Paul says, so that… “we may lead a quiet and peaceable life, godly and respectful in every way.” [00:41:28] Again, Paul is saying that government leaders must - not should - must adhere to moral and ethical behavior that is directed toward the good of all people… not just some people, and never just a few! [00:41:51] And by godly and respectful, Paul means that the actions of civic leaders must adhere to Gospel values and respect the dignity of all God's creation - mankind certainly, but also the earth on which we all live - the air we breathe, the water we consume - and all of its inhabitants - both animals and plants. [00:42:30] Because when those who are in positions of authority espouse those values in their governance, then the lives of those who are governed can be quiet, peaceful, godly, and respectful. That is what every citizen in a fair and free society has a right to expect! [00:43:04] “This is good, and it is acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” [00:43:21] Salvation and objective truth are what God wants for us (we know that from the Scriptures), and when we say objective truth… we don't mean whatever the loudest voice in society says is truth at that moment. [00:43:48] For Christians, there is truth and there is deception… there is nothing else. [00:43:56] Salvation and objective truth were also God's purpose for Paul - that he take the gospel message, the good news of Jesus Christ, to the Gentiles. Therefore, that became Paul's mission and the work to which he dedicated his life after his encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus. [00:44:31] “For there is one God,” That is what we know as the Trinity… three persons in one God. “and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” [00:44:49] By those words, Paul is referring to the Incarnate Jesus… and remember, Christ is not his last name - Christ is his title: Messiah. [00:45:02] And the distance that separated mankind from God, set in place by the sin of our first parents in the Garden of Eden, was bridged by Jesus in his Incarnation, in which the humanity and the divinity of Jesus are forever and absolutely united. [00:45:34] Christ Jesus… “who gave himself as a ransom for all,” Meaning that through his sacrifice on the Cross, which he freely accepted… through his Passion and Death… he paid the price for our salvation; he bridged the gap between mankind and the Father and opened the gates of heaven for us. “the testimony to which was given at the proper time.” Meaning that Jesus’ life - his Passion, Death, and Resurrection, his Ascension - all took place according to God's plan and at the time of God's choosing. [00:46:27] And it took place once in all of recorded history! That was the proper time! “For this I was appointed a preacher and apostle.” And remember, apostle means one who is sent. Jesus chose Paul to preach the good news to the Gentiles. [00:46:51] Then Paul says: “(I am telling the truth, I am not lying),” [00:46:56] If Paul sounds a bit defensive there, it's because he is. Paul's mission was frequently subject to criticism, conflict, and - at times - outright rejection, which often led him to be quite passionate and zealous. [00:47:19] He is also, as I mentioned at the beginning of this passage, trying to counter the false teachings that were being spread at the time. [00:47:29] In essence, Paul is clearly asserting that he is… “a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth. I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands” Raising one's hands in prayer was a common custom in Israel to express reverence and piety. And remember, before his conversion, Paul was a faithful Jew, so those prayer practices would have been very well known to him. [00:48:09] Then Paul adds an interesting caveat… [00:48:14] “without anger or quarreling.” Why, we may ask ourselves, does Paul add that qualification? If we think about it, it really makes perfect sense. [00:48:28] Anger, strife, and sin decrease the sincerity and effectiveness of our prayer, just as peace and harmony between believers makes worship more acceptable to God. That's why Paul includes that warning. And think back, what does Jesus say? If you are taking your sacrifice to the temple and you have a disagreement with any brother or any neighbor, go and make peace with your neighbor first before you go to worship, because then your sacrifice will be more acceptable to God. [00:49:20] That is exactly why we exchange a sign of peace in the Catholic Church. It is a ritual, but it's one that shouldn't be empty. It is one that should inform how we approach Mass. [00:49:38] We should be at peace with others before we come to Mass, so that when we exchange that ritual sign of peace with those closest to us in the pews, then we can do so with a clear conscience and a clean heart. [00:49:57] This passage presents a growing awareness of Christianity and the infant Church, not as an isolated and dangerous sect (as it was often perceived to be at the time) but as a welcoming and caring community that is open to all believers. This is a particularly appropriate reminder for us today. [00:50:31] It is so easy for us to carry the anger, the divisions, and the political climate - that seems to force its way into every part of our lives, our minds, and our hearts - it's so easy for us to carry that with us into Church every week. [00:50:52] But this reminds us to set aside those divisions and disagreements and instead be at peace with others by aligning ourselves with the teachings of Jesus. Not what society yells in our ears, not what the loudest voice yells in our ears, but what Jesus teaches us is right and true. And THAT should be at the heart of everything we do, everything we say, everything we think, and every action we take. [00:51:34] That brings us back to the question we started with, how do we accomplish that? [00:51:41] Jesus teaches that we cannot single mindedly pursue the things of this world and, at the same time, be his authentic disciples. [00:51:53] If we try to do both, our loyalties will be divided, and we will come to hate one or the other. That is not what Jesus wants for us. [00:52:07] All of God's creation is good and we should appreciate the goodness that surrounds us. [00:52:16] But we MUST do so as faithful disciples of Jesus, listening to and living the Gospel, using the good things of this world wisely and appropriately, and dedicating ourselves to bring about the peace and justice of God's kingdom in our world. [00:52:48] If we do that, we can accomplish anything! [00:52:55] If you would like to reach out to me with questions or comments, send me an email at [email protected] Thank you for spending this time with me and until next we meet, may God shower his blessings upon you like a soft and gentle rain, and may he hold you, safe and secure, in the palm of his hand. From His Word to Our Hearts is produced by SFS Audio Solutions. The content of the show was assembled by me, Sally Moriarty-Flask. Our music was composed by Jimmy Flask and is used with the permission of the composer. All rights reserved. Information regarding references used in preparing the exegesis for this podcast is available upon request. Thank you for listening and God Bless.