Reflection for Friday, November 6, 1998: 31st week in Ordinary Time.

Abstract

The dishonest steward is someone determined to land on his feet. As Jesus tells the story, the steward was about to be fired for "squandering his property." His power and prestige, his important place in the household, would all come to an abrupt end when he lost his job. So the desperate steward scrambled to survive. Probably after an initial panic, he thought it through carefully. He took stock of his skills in light of his coming unemployment. He knew he wasn't strong enough to dig ditches and was too ashamed to beg.||Then he got creative. What if he went through his master's account books and looked up some of the people who owed his master the most? If he reduced the amount of money they owed his master, these debtors would be eternally grateful to him - and would welcome this unemployed steward into their homes.|In his story, Jesus isn't holding up the steward as a paragon of virtue. Instead Jesus points to another aspect of the steward - as he feels the upcoming loss of his job, his desperation spawns a creative energy and focus in his life. The job he values, with its honors and lifestyle was about to disappear. Everything in his being searches for a solution to this, a way to avoid the shame of being homeless and unemployed.|Perhaps in this story, Jesus is simply asking us if we are 'spiritually shrewd.' If we became aware that our spiritual life is remote, distant or even almost non-existent, would we be as aggressive and creative as the steward in doing something about it? Are we "more shrewd in dealing with our own generation" - and the world around us than we are with our spiritual life?|Am I better at dealing with this world than I am my relationship with God? In this world, I know my way around. I know how to look successful, to land on my feet in a crisis and to be well-liked. I spend a lot of energy and time on all of those skills. But how am I in the ups and downs of my relationship with God? Sometimes I'm simply not spiritually 'shrewd.' Do I allow my faith life to become tepid, lukewarm or dull?|Today, let's light a new fire in the lives of our relationship with God. We can't take it for granted any more than we would our relationship with a loved one. Let's treasure it and use all of our creative skills, energy and enthusiasm to fan the flames of the love between ourselves and God.