People of the Light

Friday of the Thirty-first Week in Ordinary Time C-2

Entrance Antiphon Cf. Ps 38 (37):22-23 Forsake me not, O Lord, my God; be not far from me! Make haste and come to my help, O Lord, my strong salvation!

Collect Almighty and merciful God, by whose gift your faithful offer you right and praiseworthy service, grant, we pray, that we may hasten without stumbling to receive the things you have promised. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

Scripture today: Philippians 3:17-4:1; Psalm 121; Luke 16:1-8

Jesus told his disciples: There was a rich man whose manager was accused of wasting his possessions. So he called him in and asked him, 'What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your management, because you cannot be manager any longer.' The manager said to himself, 'What shall I do now? My master is taking away my job. I'm not strong enough to dig, and I'm ashamed to beg—I know what I'll do so that, when I lose my job here, people will welcome me into their houses.' So he called in each one of his master's debtors. He asked the first, 'How much do you owe my master?' 'Eight hundred gallons of olive oil,' he replied. The manager told him, 'Take your bill, sit down quickly, and make it four hundred.' Then he asked the second, 'And how much do you owe?' 'A thousand bushels of wheat,' he replied. He told him, 'Take your bill and make it eight hundred.' The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light. (Luke 16:1-8)

People of the Light John Henry Newman, beatified by Pope Benedict in September 2010, was one of the most original divines in the history of England. He came from a very mixed family. He was the eldest of the children, and the saddest case among his siblings was his brother Charles. Charles’ instability and eccentricity became apparent early on, and his father predicted that he would never make his way in life. That is to say, he would not be successful in pursuing a career, living independently, contributing in a respectable manner and meeting his responsibilities satisfactorily. So it proved in the event. His case, and so many others like his, reminds us that we should indeed strive to do well in life — understanding such a phrase properly, of course. All readily understand that life must not be squandered, that it ought be pursued actively and constructively, that it ought be the source of achievements in some positive sense, that it ought be dedicated to “work” or to works. If it is not — if little is done with the life one has been granted — all know that such a person will not be happy. Positive and constructive work, initiatives for the sake of the good, is a precondition of true joy — understanding “work” in the widest sense. St Bernadette Soubiroux, to whom our Lady appeared at Lourdes in the 1850s, died in her early thirties as a nun at Nevers. She described her last illness as her last “job.” Suffering is part of life’s work, and one ought turn it to positive advantage. I remember seeing a most inspiring documentary film of a couple who had an extremely retarded child. That couple dedicated themselves unstintingly and with immense love to their child, and became heroic in their unselfish service. But what was also obvious in this situation was that the parents were not the only ones with a great “work.” The child herself had, in all her helplessness, a mission in life. It was precisely to draw out the virtue of her parents. The general point I am making is that all have work to do, whatever be their circumstances — and we are called to aim to get it done.

It is by no means uncommon to see people devoting themselves with great energy to their work. They know that if they are to get on, they must do this. If the student is to get into university, or more precisely, into the particular faculty leading to the career he has set his heart on, he must study hard to meet the standard of entry. Many work with tremendous energy at their professions, or at their businesses, or at their personal and private interests and hobbies. History provides plenty of examples of persons whose work in life consumed them. Napoleon Bonaparte is said to have commonly put in eighteen hours a day at his work. Well now, in our Gospel today, our Lord notes this very fact and draws an unfavourable comparison with those who know what are the true goals in life. Bonaparte, man of genius with immense energy, spent his not-very-long life rising from his Corsican obscurity to being briefly the iron-fisted master of Europe. He over-stretched himself in his unremitting work and fell to pieces. But he certainly worked, and while his star lasted, he worked with great intelligence. His goals were entirely centred on this world and on the benefits it could afford him. Our Lord has this to say of such persons — look at how shrewd, how industrious and effective they are in attaining their limited goals! They work, and very many of them work well — but of course it is for this world alone, and this world is passing away. But what are the children of light doing? Are they working with similar energy and intelligence for what they know to be the true goals in life, those goals revealed in God’s revelation? I am the Light of the world, Christ said. The one who follows me walks in the light. The one who does not, walks in the darkness. What are the people of the light doing about this? Their efforts compare, he says, rather poorly with the industry and enterprise of the children of this world. In our Gospel today (Luke 16:1-8), our Lord tells the story of the dishonest steward. His master was going to throw him out. Before he did, the steward outwitted his boss by fiddling with the books and winning friends in the process — friends who would help him when he was gone. He was, many would say, smart.

God expects “the people of the light” to be smart. The true goals of which they are perfectly aware, must be sought and attained. We must work at our faith and at our union with Christ with persevering energy and intelligence. We must work at the mission Jesus Christ gave us in life, which is not only to do well in a material sense (God wants us to do well in this, to a point too), but to bring him to the world of our everyday lives. Our work in life is to share in his life and in his work — and this we do in a manner appropriate to our calling and to the circumstances God in his providence has placed us in. Let us not be outdone by people of the world, then!

(E.J.Tyler)

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A Second Reflection: (Luke 16:1-8)

Spiritual Astuteness People put a lot of time and thought into preparing for the future. Parents go to great lengths to make provision for the education of their children because of its importance for their future. They themselves take well considered steps to make adequate provision for their own retirement. But how many make provision for what will happen after death? Our Lord tells the parable of the shrewd and deceitful steward (Luke 16: 1-8) reminding us that people who think of their own selfish and temporal interests can be very astute and successful in achieving their goals. Yet those who have been given the true light to see beyond this world and prepare for it, all too often fall far short of worldly people in astutely attaining those goals they know to be the true ones.

We must constantly bear in mind what are the true goals in life, and determine with the aid of the grace of the Holy Spirit and the light of the Church's teaching, the means to attain them. It comes down to following daily in the footsteps of Christ, putting on his mind, taking up our cross and following in the footsteps of the Master.

(E.J.Tyler)

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