|
Greetings, SBT Readers!
The pageantry surrounding the late Queen Elizabeth II's lying in state stands in stark contrast to the unceremonious ways in which migrants from Florida and Texas have been "shipped" to sanctuary cities and, most recently, to Martha's Vineyard. The Queen, of course, was a much beloved world leader who is now being accorded every conceivable honor by her children, grandchildren, political leaders and heads of state. There is tradition, solemnity, and ritual --as is appropriate for one who touched so many hearts during her 70 year reign.
But back to the migrants. In contrast, they have been shuttled across the U.S., completely disrespected by the governors and other politicians behind the scheme. Political pawns, they are being used to disrupt communities and to stir up a particular base of voters. Strangers in a foreign land, mostly unable to speak English, they are the tired, the poor, the huddled masses yearning to breathe free... They may not have "blue" blood, but they, too, can bleed; they may not have loyal attendants, but they, too, hunger for support and guidance; they may be lacking every possible resource, but they, too, are human beings, worthy of respect-- even though they have neither titles, nor crowns, nor royal robes!
Many Blessings!
Elizabeth
SCRIPTURE REFLECTION
Link to the Sunday Readings
I tell you, make friends for yourselves with dishonest wealth,
so that when it fails, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.
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.
If, therefore, you are not trustworthy with dishonest wealth,
who will trust you with true wealth?
If you are not trustworthy with what belongs to another,
who will give you what is yours?
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 both God and mammon."
Lk 16:1-13
I have to admit that the parable of the dishonest steward is not one of my favorite texts. In many of the parables, one or more of the characters represents God or some characteristic of God -- compassion, forgiveness, seeking the lost, and so forth. In the parable of the dishonest steward, both the steward and his master are devoted to one thing only-- money! The steward may have squandered his master's wealth, but he has also served him well, serving as his debt collector, putting the squeeze on the poor so that they cough up every last penny owed. Faced with dismissal, the steward has one last card to play: instead of tacking on his commission to the debts that are still outstanding, he forgoes his commission and substantially reduces the amount owed by each of his master's debtors. In this way, he not only guarantees that he will have some friends should he become destitute, but he also wins the approval of his master who is impressed by his "prudence." In effect, by seeming to befriend the debtors, the crafty steward may have even manipulated them into repaying what they owe ahead of schedule. That would indeed please his master!
The rich man and his steward are cut from the same cloth. They understand profit and loss, supply and demand, how to calculate debt and charge interest. Their focus is wealth management and generating more wealth. They are "the children of this world," unconcerned with the spiritual quest because their entire focus is on increasing their material assets. The dishonest steward may have squandered some of his master's wealth but he has also built up the rich man's bank account, using every trick to force debt repayment.
While Jesus endorses neither of the characters in this parable, he finds their devotion to money worth commenting on. They are completely dedicated to "Mammon"; both serve the same "higher power" -- or baser power, you might say! And what about us? Do we identify with "The children of light"? If so, do we have the same zeal, the same passion for things of the Spirit as "the children of this world" or are we lukewarm in our devotion? Are we as resourceful as the dishonest steward in seeking out ways of making our faith grow, or do we settle for what has "worked" in the past?
Whom do we serve?
RESOURCES
Try my Spiritual Self-Assessment Tool! After you take the Quiz, you will automatically receive a computer-generated analysis of your strengths and "growing edges." https://assess.coach/eastewart/
Please note that I offer
Writing Coaching/ Editing, Life Coaching, Spiritual Direction, and Retreats.
www.elizabeth-annestewart.com; www.ChicagoWritingCoach.com
| 
