Homily Notes, 07-18-21 - Being Good Stewards

 

What shall I do because my lord taketh away from me my stewardship? To dig I am not able, to beg I am ashamed. I know what I will do, that when I shall be removed from the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses....

Eighth Sunday after Pentecost

“For the children of this world are wiser in their generation than the children of light.”

We read this in the Gospel, and it’s very striking to read these words of Our Lord. These words were addressed to His disciples and apostles, but they are addressed to all of us as well. Is this really true? That the children of this world are wiser than the children of light? 

It’s not that the people of the world will save their souls by this wisdom that they have, but that the people of this world have goals and then seek after those goals. A business man, a scientists, an athlete, whoever it may be, they set their goals and do what it takes to achieve those goals. The children of God do far less. So often they seek after only natural goals and neglect their supernatural goals, the only goals that are truly important.

Apply the parable of the steward to yourself. Not to your neighbor, but to yourself. Our Lord is reminding us that we will be judged by God. He will judge us according to each gift He has given to us and how we have used those gifts. We will be judged by God according to His perspective. He will judge whether we wasted his gifts or not.

The steward wonders what he can do now that he lost his position. He thinks, “I could commit to a life of hard work... but I’m not able to. I could beg... but I’m too ashamed.” So he’s going to fit in with everyone else. He forgives part of the debts that people owe to his master so that they will like him, then when he loses his position with his lord, the people will take him into their homes.

What are we called to do by God? There are two courses we can take: either we act like the steward and try to fit in with the world, or we commit to a life of sacrifice, admitting to ourselves that we deserve nothing less for our sins.

We have to give up our own will to do the will of God, which often means doing the will of others because God shows us His will through the will of others.

We must also commit to a life of prayer, each and every day. We have to spend time with God in order to endure our sufferings. Prayer keeps us on the right track. It’s not enough that we just commit to our duties of our state, but we must do so with humility. We must submit to God who is infinitely above us. 

If something exists, it only exists because God made it exist. All existence reflects Him. We have to realize this reality and it takes humility: who are we before God? What does God want from me? How can I live God’s will? I must follow God at all cost.

We can’t fit in with the world; we can’t do what everyone else is doing. We can’t reject or throw away God’s gifts.

Judas wanted a life of comfort and ease, but Our Lord demanded a life of sacrifice. Judas betrayed Our Lord for a supposed comfort. Christ said of Judas, “It is better for him if he had not been born.”  If we don’t seek to do the will of God, then we fall into the same state.

If we try to fit in with the world, if we seek to conform to the world, then we will lose our sanctity. “If you live according to the flesh, you will die” - The only reward of a natural life is death. A life lived for supernatural goals will be rewarded in eternity.

Today’s collect is very beautiful. Pray and meditate on it. This is a prayer that the church puts on our lips today. 

Graciously grant to us, we beseech Thee, O Lord, the spirit to think and do always such things as are rightful: that we, who cannot exist without Thee, may be enabled to live according to Thy will.

We are praying for the grace to do what is right, despite the consequences. That is what God demands of us.

This collect reminds us: we need grace to do what is good and right.

We must pray for our Church. Sacrifice for the Church.  The Church suffers very much. Pray for the Pope, he needs the prayer of the faithful, and make sacrifices for him. Offer up your daily crosses for the church: for the Pope, for the bishops, that they will do what is right.

Meditate on the words of the collect which are very important for us. If we put them into practice, we will become saints.