FR. BEN’S HOMILY FOR FRIDAY OF THE 31ST WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR II.
THEME: OUR SPIRITUAL INVESTMENTS!
BY: Benedict Agbo (Rev Fr).
HOMILY FOR FRIDAY NOVEMBER 4 2022.
* Phil 3: 17 – 4 : 1, Lk 16: 1 – 8.
*’True wealth consists not in what we keep but in what we give away’ – Don Schwager.* We are all stewards on earth but of two kinds; the heavenly and the worldly stewards. Those who believe in God and believe that their commonwealth is in heaven act like heavenly citizens /heavenly stewards; they invest wisely in Church offerings, charity to the poor, good relationships with people, good /clean speech, honest transactions, etc. But those who don’t believe in God indulge in their own pleasures like earthly citizens/stewards; their god is their belly, they do shameful things, cheat their neighbour, live in immorality, drunkenness, licentiousness and selfishness. St Paul summarizes them in today’s 1st reading as ‘enemies of the Cross of Christ’. The selfish politicians, capitalists and consumerists of our commonwealth, the avowed fornicators, the homosexuals and abortionists, etc are enemies of the Cross of Christ.
In today’s gospel, Jesus praises a worldly minded steward for just one single virtue of foresight or worldly prudence. He warns that we children of the light /citizens of heaven must apply similar prudence in heavenly matters. We should have what Don Schwager calls *prudent foresight – enabling us to do a lot of spiritual investments here on earth through our generosity*. We should also have *prudent hindsight – enabling us to do some spiritual stock taking at the end of each day making sure that we tidy up our spiritual accounts through daily reconciliation with God and people.* Forgiveness is a very important virtue which heavenly citizens/stewards must have. Jesus is concerned here with something more serious than financial prudence. His concern is that we avert personal spiritual or moral crisis through the exercise of prudent foresight and hindsight. We must use charity to cover our multitude of sins, 1 Pet 4: 8 and use the sacrament of reconciliation to prepare for the miracle of our last hour. Spirituality is the wisdom that enables us understand this world but work for eternity.
May God bless you today!