Other Sunday and Holy Day Readings
25th SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (Cycle C)
Readings:
Amos 8:4-7
Psalm 113:1-2, 4-7
1 Timothy 2:1-8
Luke 16:1-13
Abbreviations: NJB (New Jerusalem Bible), IBHE (Interlinear Bible Hebrew-English), NABRE (New American Bible Revised St. Joseph Edition), IBGE (Interlinear Bible Greek-English), or LXX (Greek Septuagint Old Testament translation). CCC designates a citation from the Catechism of the Catholic Church. The word LORD or GOD rendered in all capital letters is, in the Hebrew text, God's Divine Name YHWH (Yahweh).
God reveals His divine plan for humanity in the two Testaments, which is why we read and relive the events of salvation history contained in the Old and New Testaments in the Church's Liturgy. The Catechism teaches that the Liturgy reveals the unfolding mystery of God's plan as we read the Old Testament in light of the New and the New Testament in light of the Old (CCC 1094-1095).
The Theme of the Readings: The Just Management of
Material Blessings
Today's First Reading and Gospel Reading address the issue
of the just management of material wealth. In the First Reading, God sent the 8th
century BC prophet Amos to the Northern Kingdom of Israel to condemn those who
trampled on the rights of the poor and disadvantaged and promoted illicit
worship. Amos courageously confronted the apostate king of the Northern Kingdom
and his priests at their shrine at Bethel. He told them that God never forgets
unjust acts committed against the poor, and the perpetrators of such abuses, no
matter their station in life, cannot escape His divine judgment.
The Responsorial Psalm reminds us that to God, the lives of the poor are equal in value to the lives of the rich and influential in society. At the end of their earthly lives, God will bring justice to the righteous poor who have experienced temporal suffering. He will lift them from the dust of their humiliation to exaltation in His heavenly kingdom.
In the Second Reading, St. Paul reminds St. Timothy of the importance of offering prayers, supplications, petitions, and thanksgiving for everyone. This form of intercessory prayer should include not only ordinary Christians but also rulers and those in authority because it is God's will that everyone come to salvation through our New Covenant mediator Christ Jesus, who "gave himself as a ransom for all."
Our First Reading prepares us for St. Luke's Gospel Reading, in which Jesus uses a parable about a dishonest but crafty steward to provide a lesson on the use and abuse of material blessings. Jesus's teaching on the just use of material wealth is that one cannot be disorderly attracted to material wealth and remain a servant of God. The two callings oppose each other. You are either God's servant or a slave to worldly riches. The selfish and disordered attraction to the accumulation of material blessings without regard for the poor in this life can endanger one's hope of eternal blessings in the next.
Human history has shown that an ethical system of private property is the most practical means of ensuring access to the earth's goods and encouraging human productivity. This privilege derives from the collective right of humanity to subdue the earth in managing and making use of the goods of the land that, along with the blessing of fertility, are God's first gifts to humankind (Gen 1:28). However, the blessing of dominion over the earth is not ownership but stewardship, since God is the Creator, and the entire earth belongs to Him. Good stewardship requires us to be ethical in our management of earthly resources, to treat those who work for us with justice by providing them with a fair wage, and to show our gratitude to God for our material blessings by sharing our largess with those who are less fortunate.
The First Reading Amos 8:4-7 ~ Condemnation for those who Persecute the Poor
4 Hear this, you who trample upon the needy and destroy
the poor of the land! 5 "When will the new moon be over," you ask, "that we may
sell our grain, and the Sabbath, that we may display the wheat? We will
diminish the ephah, add to the shekel, and fix our scales for cheating! 6 We
will buy the lowly for silver, and the poor for a pair of sandals; even the
refuse of the wheat we will sell!" 7 The LORD has sworn by the pride of Jacob: "Never
will I forget a thing they have done!"
Amos of Tekoa (c. 750 BC) is known as the prophet of social justice. He was a poor shepherd from the Southern Kingdom of Judah and not a member of any prophetic brotherhood (Am 7:14-15). God called Amos to a prophet's ministry and sent him to the Northern Kingdom of Israel to stir the people's consciences. Amos delivered God's warning of divine judgment on two subjects:
Amos condemned those who trampled on the rights of the poor, delivering his message in the Northern Kingdom's schismatic counterfeit shrine at Bethel (1 Kng 12:26-33; Am 3:14; 4:4; 7:10, 13). God's Holy Temple in Jerusalem was the only place where proper sacrifice and worship could be offered (Dt 12:4-6; 1 Kng 11:36; 2 Chr 3:1).
4 Hear this, you who trample upon the needy and destroy
the poor of the land! 5 "When will the new moon be over," you ask, "that we may
sell our grain, and the Sabbath, that we may display the wheat?
For the covenant people, every new month was calculated by
the rising of the new moon (see verse 5) and observed in a liturgical worship service
(Num 28:11-15). The Sabbath marked the end of every week and was celebrated in
an obligatory liturgical worship service (Ex 20:8; 23:12;
Num 28:9-10). As in
the Sabbath observance, the feast of the New Moon and all holy days in the liturgical
calendar required all physical labor and all business to cease on a day dedicated
to worshiping God.
5b We will diminish the ephah, add to the shekel, and fix
our scales for cheating! 6 We will buy the lowly for silver, and the poor for a
pair of sandals; even the refuse of the wheat we will sell!"
Instead of concentrating on a sacrifice of self in total
surrender by worshiping and praising the Lord God, the selfish and
self-centered people He condemned through His prophet were hypocrites. They
outwardly observe the holy days but continue to plan and scheme how they could
deceive the righteous in fraudulent practices and take advantage of the poor. They
only paid "lip service" to worship and anxiously awaited the end of the holy
day so they could engage in their deceitful practices again.
7 The LORD has sworn by the pride of Jacob: "Never will I
forget a thing they have done!"
In verse 7, God swears an oath never to forget the sins
against the righteous committed by the wicked. The term "pride of Jacob" refers
to the arrogance of the Israelites in thinking they could ignore their covenant
obligation to care for the poor and disadvantaged without facing God's
retribution (Dt 15:4, 7-8).
Amos's warning is as vital to us today as it was to the 8th century BC Israelites. Church catechesis uses this passage from Amos and others to teach the virtue of justice (i.e., Dt 24:14-15; 25:13-16; Luke 6:20-26; Jam 5:4). Do you celebrate the Lord in your heart at every Eucharistic celebration, and do you go forth from the assembly intending to do good works that demonstrate your faith? If you scheme to defraud the righteous and ignore the poor, you may think you can deceive the community, but you cannot mislead God. He sees every act, reads the content of every heart, and judges every action's intent. Not only does God remember every unjust action against the poor and disadvantaged, but He also has given the promise that He will remember every act of love and charity which can atone for sin: Water quenches a flaming fire, and alms atone for sins. He who does a kindness is remembered afterward; when he falls, he finds a support (Sir 3:29-30).
Responsorial Psalm 113:1-2, 4-6, 7-8 ~ Praise to God who Raises
Up the Poor and Needy
Response: "Praise the Lord who lifts up the poor" or
"Alleluia."
1 Praise, you servants of the LORD, praise the name of
the LORD. 2 Blessed be the name of the LORD both now and forever.
Response:
4 High above all nations is the LORD; above the heavens
is his glory. 5 Who is like the LORD, our God, who is enthroned on high 6 and
looks upon the heavens and the earth below?
Response:
7 He raises up the lowly from the dust; from the dunghill
he lifts up the poor 8 to seat them with princes, with the princes of his own
people.
Response:
The psalm begins with a call to praise the name of Yahweh (verses 1-2). After proclaiming His glory above the heavens (verse 4), the psalmist expresses awe of the Lord by asking a rhetorical question in verses 5-6. The answer is, of course, that no one or thing can compare to the might and majesty of the Lord God who "raises up the lowly" poor, exalting those of humble station and degree to give them a place equal to princes in His heavenly Kingdom (verses 7-8).
Words of praise like this psalm are found in the Magnificat when, after the announcement of the Incarnation, the Blessed Virgin Mary, the lowly "servant/handmaiden" of the Lord, visited St. Elizabeth. Mary proclaimed in her canticle of praise that the Lord exalted one of low degree in choosing her to be the mother of the Son of God: For he has looked upon his handmaid's lowliness. [...] He has thrown down the rulers from their thrones but lifted up the lowly (Lk 1:48, 52).
The Second Reading 1 Timothy 2:1-8
1 First of all, I ask that supplications, prayers,
petitions, and thanksgivings be offered for everyone, 2 for kings and for all
in authority, that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life in all devotion and
dignity. 3 This is good and pleasing to God our Savior, 4 who wills everyone to
be saved and come to know the truth. 5 For there is one God. There is also one
mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as
ransom for all. This was the testimony at the proper time. 7 For this I was
appointed preacher and apostle. I am speaking the truth; I am not lying, the
teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth. 8 It is my wish, then, that in
every place the men should pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or
argument.
In this reading, St. Paul continues advising St. Timothy, the Pastor of the Christian community at Ephesus (see last week's second reading). In this part of his letter, Paul instructs Timothy concerning the liturgy celebrated at Ephesus and gives directives on prayer and proper conduct during the Eucharistic celebration. "First" in verse 1 indicates primacy in importance. The first duty of the Church is to pray, and the first duty of the shepherd of a faith community is to organize community worship. Timothy is more than a teacher of the Gospel; he is also the minister of liturgical worship (1 Tim 1:3-7).
St. Paul lists four types of prayers in verse 1:
"Supplications" indicates prayer for some pressing need of the community. The word "prayers" is a more general term and perhaps refers to memorized prayers like the Lord's Prayer, which we know was part of the liturgy of the early Church (Didache, 8:1-3). The Greek word translated as "petitions" is sometimes rendered as "intercessions" and comes from a Greek verb used to describe the favor extended to a vassal or subject who has the privilege of being admitted into the presence of his lord or king to present a request (also see 1 Tim 1:7). These prayers would have been similar to our intercessory prayers. The climax is prayers of "thanksgivings" in the plural. The word "Eucharist" is the same in the singular. In this case, "thanksgivings" are likely prayers of glory and praise to God, acknowledging gratitude for God's many blessings, the greatest being the gift of the Eucharist.
The prayers are for "everyone:" for one's family, the congregation, the universal Church, the non-Christian community, and even for their enemies (Mt 5:44). The "everyone" also includes the civil authorities: kings and political leaders who are responsible for maintaining peace and justice and who could not rule without God's consent. Next, Paul explains that everyone must be included in their prayers because it pleases God, who calls all people to salvation (verse 4). St. Thomas Aquinas wrote that God does not need our prayers to act, but He wants to act because of our prayers.
Paul links the promise of "salvation" to "knowledge of the truth." Belief cannot be based only on an emotional feeling. For faith to strengthen and mature, one's belief must be built on the foundation of an intellectual understanding. Paul defines "knowledge of the truth" in verses 5 and 6 in what may contain an early Christian profession of faith that was recited by the congregation during the liturgical service: 5 For there is one God. There is also one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as ransom for all.
Paul's assertion in verse 7 that he is "speaking the truth" as a preacher to the Gentiles is reminiscent of similar affirmations he made in other letters (Rom 9:1; 2 Cor 11:31 and Gal 1:20). Finally, Paul tells Timothy that internal dissension or strife must not stain the prayers of the community. Instead, the liturgical prayers of the assembly must celebrate their unity of belief in the Savior and their love for God and each other. Love, harmony, and faith must be the goal of every Christian community in celebrating the Living Christ in the unity of the Eucharist. For a description of the celebration of the Eucharist in c. 155 AD, see CCC 1345.
The Gospel Reading Luke 16:1-13 ~ The Use and Abuse of Material Blessings
Two of Jesus's teachings in this chapter deal with the use
or abuse of money/wealth: Luke 16:1-13 and 16:19-31 (next Sunday's Gospel
reading). Jesus's condemnation of the Pharisees for their love of money and two
other teachings about the Law separate the discourses concerning the abuse of
riches. The final teaching about wealth focuses on the inevitable judgment of
the rich for their lack of compassion for the poor. Jesus directed His first
teaching on money/wealth in our Gospel reading to His disciples.
Luke 16:1-8a ~ The Parable of the Dishonest but Crafty
Steward
1 Then he also said to his disciples, "A rich man had a
steward who was reported to him for squandering his property. 2 He summoned him
and said, 'What is this I hear about you? Prepare a full account of your
stewardship, because you can no longer be my steward.' 3 The steward said to
himself, 'What shall I do, now that my master is taking the position of steward
away from me? I am not strong enough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg. 4 I know
what I shall do so that, when I am removed from the stewardship, they may
welcome me into their homes.' 5 He called in his master's debtors one by one. To
the first he said, 'How much do you owe my master?' 6 He replied, 'One hundred
measures of olive oil.' He said to him, 'Here is your promissory note. Sit down
and quickly write one for fifty.' 7 Then to another he said, 'And you, how much
do you owe?' He replied, 'One hundred kors of wheat.' He said to him, 'Here is
your promissory note; write one for eighty.' 8 And the master commended that
dishonest steward for acting prudently."
The interpretation of this parable looks to the figurative meaning of the whole and not the individual parts. In Jesus's story, the steward was a freeman who earned his living by the additional revenue he could add to the bill of the money owed to his master. He was not cheating his master by dropping the sum each of the creditors owed; he was reducing his commission and, in some cases, probably eliminating his cut. At this point in his life, the steward realized that his master's creditors' gratitude and friendship were more valuable to him than money.
Jesus is not praising the steward's dishonesty in squandering his master's property (verse 1). It was because he misused property that his master dismissed him, and Jesus does not praise that action. However, He does draw our attention to the good deeds the steward does to win friends who will help him in his hour of need. Admittedly, it is a self-serving action, but it does not defraud his master. The master admired his quick thinking in ingratiating himself to the creditors and transferring their debt to him from money to a personal obligation generated by his mercy to them in reducing their debt.
Luke 16:8b-13 ~ Jesus's Teaching on the Right use of Material Wealth
8b "For the children of this world are more prudent in
dealing with their own generation than are the children of light. 9 I tell you,
make friends for yourselves with dishonest wealth [literally "the mammon
of iniquity"], so that when it fails, you will be welcomed into eternal
dwellings. 10 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. 11 If, therefore, you are not trustworthy with
dishonest wealth, who will trust you with true wealth? 12 If you are not
trustworthy with what belongs to another, who will give you what is yours? 13 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 expands on His parable by encouraging the prudent use of one's wealth. He is not recommending that the disciples act as the dishonest steward did. However, they should practice his foresight and ingenuity by using the temporal things of this world that are not ours and will pass away to purchase those things which are eternal and will not pass away. Notice that Jesus uses a series of parallels/contrasts in His teaching:
| Parallels/contrasts in Luke 16:8b-13 | |
| children of this world | children of light |
| dishonest wealth | eternal dwellings |
| trustworthy in small matters | trustworthy in great |
| dishonest in small matters | dishonest in great |
| dishonest wealth | true wealth |
| mammon | God |
| Michal E. Hunt Copyright © 2013 | |
"Mammon" in verses 9 and 13 means wealth or money. Money is called "dishonest" because it has often been acquired dishonestly even before passing into the hands of an honest person. One should use money with eternal benefits in mind rather than temporal. The everlasting value of the good deed will accompany one into Heaven. The crafty steward is a "child of this world." The "children of light," with their otherworldly concerns, are opposites of the "children of the world," who invest in the material rather than the spiritual. The disciples of Jesus Christ (Christians) are the "children of light," while the "children of this world" are those who do not profess Christ as Lord and Savior (see Jn 8:12).
Jesus says that the "children of the world" are more prudent in dealing with their contemporaries than Christians. Jesus's point is that the faithful should be cautious about using wealth just as the crafty steward (a child of this world) was prudent. Wealth will not buy friends, only generosity results in true friendship. In the same way, if we know God awards His friendship and blessings to those who are generous and show mercy to the poor, shouldn't we be clever enough to realize how actions of kindness and compassion in using our material wealth will benefit us eternally?
11 If, therefore, you are not trustworthy with dishonest
wealth, who will trust you with true wealth? 12 If you are not trustworthy with
what belongs to another, who will give you what is yours?
To better understand the implications of this teaching, see
Jesus's Sermon on the Plain in Luke 6:20-26, in which He speaks of social justice
in terms of eternal blessings and the eternal judgment for those who practice
greed. Earthly blessings, including wealth/riches, are from God. From those material
blessings, we are expected to carry on Jesus's earthly ministry by seeing to the
needs of the poor and disadvantaged. St. John Chrysostom wrote: "Not to enable
the poor to share in our goods is to steal from them and deprive them of life.
The goods we possess are not ours, but theirs" (Hom. in Lazaro 2, 5).
Jesus asks if we are not trustworthy in sharing our earthly wealth, why should God trust us with the wealth/riches of eternal life? God has the power to judge the souls of human beings and to determine their eternal destiny. In the material world, anyone who is "untrustworthy in very small things" is also seen as "untrustworthy in great ones;" and the person who is "dishonest in very small matters" is also considered someone who is "dishonest in great ones" (verse 10). Therefore, why should it be different in God's assessment of a person's life? If God cannot trust us to wisely use the material wealth that He has generously given us, and if we cannot be trusted to share it with the poor, how can we be trusted with "true wealth"? "True wealth" in verse 11 is the gift of God's grace that leads to eternal life.
13 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."
This verse is the summary of Jesus's teaching on this
subject. You cannot be disorderly attracted to material wealth and be a
servant of God. The two callings oppose each other. You are either God's
servant or a slave to worldly riches. The love of money will turn money/wealth
into a false god. To be dependent on riches is opposed to the teachings of
Jesus, who asks for complete dependence on God as the chief characteristic of
Christian discipleship.
"Let those of us who
possess earthly wealth open our hearts to those who are in need. Let us show
ourselves faithful and obedient to the laws of God. Let us be followers of our
Lord's will in those things that are from the outside and not our own. Let us
do this so that we may receive what is our own, that holy and admirable beauty
that God forms in people's souls, making them like himself, according to what
we originally were."
St. Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary on Luke, Homily 109
Catechism References (* indicates Scripture is quoted
or paraphrased in the citation):
Amos 8:4-7 (CCC 2409*)
1 Timothy 2:1 (CCC 2636*); 2:2 (CCC 2240*); 2:3-4 (CCC 2822*); 2:4 (CCC 74*, 851*, 1058*, 1256*, 1261*, 1821*); 2:5-8 (CCC 2634*); 2:5 (CCC 618*, 1544*, 2574*)
Luke 16:1-3 (CCC 952*); 6:13 (CCC 2424)
Respect for the property of others (CCC 2407*, 2408, 2409*, 2410-2411, 2412*, 2413, 2414*)
Love for the poor (CCC 2443*, 2444*, 2446, 2447*, 2448, 2449*)
Pray for other's interests, not just for one's own (CCC 2635*)
Christ our one Mediator (CCC 65*, 66*, 67, 408*, 667)
No one can serve two masters (CCC 2113*, 2424*, 2848*)
Intercession for rulers (CCC 1900*, 2636*)
Michal E Hunt, Copyright © 2013; revised 2022 Agape Bible Study. Permissions All Rights Reserved.