Fresh Dew Media

 25^TH SUNDAY, YEAR C: REFLECTION BY FR JULIAN EKEH

THEME: THE HOLY EXCHANGE AT WAR WITH THE UNHOLY EXCHANGE

(Luke 16:1-13)

The Gospel today narrates another parable of Jesus about the shrewd steward and his wisdom. Jesus advocates a sort of exchange which involves using what we have to get what we want. Using the here and now to get the hereafter, using the transient to get the eternal, using the passing good to get the summum bonum. Thus, what we are and have should enable us become what we ought to be. Jesus shows how much He believes in us. He trusts us so much, He gives us all that we have. He equips us. He is the master of our life. He entrusts into our hands the necessary materials we need to live eternally. He gratuitously gives man His blessings even when he does not deserve it.

On his own side man is not trustworthy, He does not follow Divine plan. He does not work according to God's design. He is dishonest and insincere. He is careless. In his carelessness, he enters into agreement with wrong hands. He gets into "spiritual one chance." He loses sight of the kingdom in stall for him. Thus, what is given to him to be guided jealously and used judiciously he mismanaged by handing it over to the enemy as a result of His attraction to the lures of evil.

But the time for reckoning comes when the account of his stewardship is required from him. What will he do?

 

LESSON FROM THE STEWARD

As the name goes, he is a steward. He managed his master's business until the time he was accosted for mismanagement. If we remembered very well the whole parables of the lost coin, lost sheep and prodigal son were addressed to the scribes and Pharisees who frowned at Jesus' relationship with sinners. They thought the kingdom belonged to them and because of that they took a lot for granted thereby counting on grace of the past without thinking of working with that grace in the present for a better future. Thus, Jesus calls for an anticipation of the time when account of stewardship will be required. Thus, the kingdom belongs to only the one who works for it by gathering virtues and destroying vices. He therefore lives a life that is heavenly, a life that asks itself some questions such as: What have you? In answering this he must come to realize that: I have nothing that's not God's (Ihe nile m nwere n' uwa onye nyerem ya oo? Chi nyerem ya ee Chi nyerem ya ee). Based on this he prays: "Jesus I love you, all I have is yours, yours I am and yours I want to be..." Understanding that he has nothing he comes to terms with the fact that he has been given a lot: life, time, opportunities, beauty, husband, wife, children, wealth, job, intelligence etc.

Such life proceeds to ask itself:

 

WHY ARE ALL THESE BESTOWED ON ME?

This is a question regarding what should be the case. All the things you have are given for service and the glory of God. They are given to make people look up to the right master. They are given to start on earth to do it as it is in heaven, not for cheating, not for oppression, not for marginalization, not for character assassination, not to feel on top of everyone else.

 

WHAT ARE WE DOING WITH WHAT GOD HAS GIVEN TO US?

The song by Jude Nnam: Take and sanctify answers this question. " all that I have all that I do, everything I will ever make take my life and take my all, everything I will ever make...take and sanctify for your honour Lord." This is total surrender. Honest accountability. It is a type of returning of all favours received back to God intact.

 

HOW DO I DO THIS?

Imagine that the angels of God took your case to God about your life and you're summoned. What is this that I hear about you? What will God hear about you? That you're wasteful or making good use of the instruments He has given you to build yourself a heavenly kingdom?

If He takes up the beauty you're decorated with, what will be the outcome? That you handed over your beauty to the devil to become a model in exchange for fame?

Time: That you spent your God-given time that should be put to positive use on gossiping?

Wealth: that you used your wealth to bring hardship on the people instead of making their situation better? Oh thank God for the trending saying: "I will not go to meet my maker with my wallet".

Power: that you wasted the opportunity given to you to lead the people godly and win their admiration and blessings? That you obtained power from God and goes to the evil shrine to pour thanksgiving libation and sink your people into devilish ritualism?

Intelligence: that you used your intelligence to defraud the people instead of building them up to the glory of God?

Your marriage: that you have refused to see your marriage as a blessing and thank God for your it? That you don't see it as God's gift? I wish to talk a little on this because a lot of unholy exchange is taking place in marriages today. In its bid to snatch the union of man and woman which should be offered to God, the kingdom that is at war with heaven has continually offered husbands and wives reasons why they must not mind what they vowed before God. This is betrayal of divine trust! It is abuse of divine grace! Will temptations knock? Yes of course. Yet you've got to remain faithful.

The Steward, when his crises came was able to go back to the drawing board to try to right his wrongs. Go back to God and seek His face in times of trials. Don't go to the social media, don't go to divorcees association, don't go to "Di gba kwa oku international" Don't run to "nwanyiagbulam brothers" Build your trust and love once again and move on.

 

What about vocations and professions?

As a Pastor in whose hands God has entrusted the souls of people, do you care about their spiritual well-being or hand them over to the devil?

Medical Doctor, do you take good care of the lives the Lord has given to you or use them for experiments with no serious to save them?

As a driver, do you drive with the safety of people in mind or take them to their early graves?

Businessmen, do you do anything  whether good or bad for your business to grow? Have you forgotten that the bad is not an option?

Let us today, try our best to put to a stop every unholy business that will make us have questions to answer before God.

May God bless His word in our hearts.

 

LET US PRAY

Oh Lord, our God we thank You for Your word. Help us by Your grace to do the right exchange You expect from us today, may we make use of all You have given us to inherit heavenly favours. May we never exchange virtues for vices through. Save us from eternal judgment and bring us to salvation in Your heavenly kingdom.  Grant this prayer through Christ our Lord Amen

 

Happy Sunday to you

(25th Sunday, Ordinary Time, Yr. C)

Rev Fr Julian O Ekeh