A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke (Lk 16:9-15)
Jesus said to his disciples: “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.”
Jesus continues in today’s Gospel where yesterday’s left off. Addressing the disciples as the Pharisees overhear, he talks about the value of dishonest wealth compared with the true wealth of dependence on God. According to the New American Bible Revised Edition, mammon is “the Greek transliteration of a Hebrew or Aramaic word that is usually explained as meaning ‘that in which one trusts.'” To the Pharisees, as Luke tells us, that meant love of money. Jesus presents this to those who hear him in a paradoxical way in what appears to be a logical either-or fallacy: “You cannot serve God and mammon.” A closer look reveals no fallacy here but truth: “but God knows your hearts,” Jesus says, “for what is of human esteem is an abomination in the sight of God.” What is left, then, but to serve God?
Father in heaven, help me embrace your will. Often far from embracing it and accomplishing it, your will for me in any given day seems to escape me altogether. That is why Jesus says, “If, therefore, you are not trustworthy with dishonest wealth, who will trust you with true wealth?” You show mercy where mercy is most needed, to the one who can’t be trusted with true wealth. Give me the wisdom to discern what is true and the grace to know your will and to serve you.
From the Gospel acclamation: “Jesus Christ became poor although he was rich,
so that by his poverty you might become rich.” Saint Martin of Tours, pray for us!
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.