Twenty-fifth Sunday of Ordinary Time (Year C) (go to readings)
Amos 8:4-7
Psalm 113:1-2, 4-6, 7-8
1 Timothy 2:1-8
Luke 16:1-13
A recent article about an interview with Pope Leo XIV summarizes his message, “My priority is the Gospel, not solving the world’s problems.” In the interview, Pope Leo says, “I don’t see my primary role as trying to be the solver of the world’s problems. I don’t see my role as that at all, really, although I think that the Church has a voice, a message that needs to continue to be preached, to be spoken and spoken loudly.”
In today’s social and political climate, it’s too easy to get pulled away from what should be our main mission. In the words of Stephen Covey, “The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing.” And the main thing for the Church is to carry forward the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ, in how we think, how we see the world, how we speak, and how we live.
In a recent parish meeting we were talking about the call to evangelization, and how Catholics seem to be notoriously shy about stepping up as messengers of the gospel. And the comment was made that the last few generations of Catholics feel very underequipped to talk about our faith. And there is so much that the Catholic Church has taught and done across two thousand years, it’s difficult for anyone to feel comfortable with their understanding of all this and to have what feels like an awkward conversation about the faith.
Fair enough. But is that what evangelization is? Teaching theology and Church history? How many people have seen the Lord of the Rings movies? Did you like them? Were they amazing? Inspiring? Did you tell anyone that? Did you suggest that they watch them? Maybe even suggest that they read the books? That’s the basic idea of evangelization. We’re not sharing the good news about the Church teachings or history. That’s important, but not the main thing. The main thing is how much we love Jesus, how inspired we are by him, by our relationship with him, by his words in the scriptures and in our hearts, how our lives have more joy, hope, beauty, and love, because our faith in Jesus enriches our life. It can even be our story of how we once were so lost, and the effect of our encounter and putting our faith in him to work in our lives, and how that has been a risk that has paid unbelievable dividends. Saint Paul made his conversion story the basis of all his ministry (“I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and an arrogant man, but I have been mercifully treated because I acted out of ignorance in my unbelief. Indeed, the grace of our Lord has been abundant, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.” he says in 1 Tim 1:13). Or the beautiful line of Mary Magdalene which she says to Nicodemus in the Chosen, “I was one way, and now I am completely different. And the thing that happened in between was Him.” And then we ask if they might like to see if coming to Church and hopefully having an encounter with Christ might help them, and we tell them we’ll meet them at Church.
I think Catholics sometimes use our poor catechesis (which indeed is a tragic reality) about our faith as a delay tactic. After I take some bible courses or join this prayer group, or this catechesis class, and maybe after that, I’ll feel comfortable sharing the gospel. First, please do learn more about our faith (to learn it more is to love it more). Do keep growing your relationship with Jesus (such as spending time in the Adoration Chapel) and sharing with others the peace and joy that comes from that quality time with the Lord. Your own words flowing from your heart shining with the love of Christ are your best tools of evangelization! But second, that will not make you comfortable sharing the gospel. The only thing that will make it comfortable is to keep doing it, like other things that feel awkward at first, but you get better at it.
But it’s easy to get caught up in the world. To have a strong opinion, the right opinion, and get fixated on correcting the other side for their errors of judgment, facts (or ignorance of facts), and beliefs. It’s easy to get caught up in defending one side or the other, or a particular figure, perhaps one villanized or silenced by the machinations of political opponents. And of course we know of the rash of shocking tragedies that have rocked our society, especially the police officers shot near Spring Grove. We thank them for their service, pray for the three who died, and the two recovering in the hospital, and their families and fellow officers and other first responders, and for an end of violence and the taking of innocent human life. This is an important thing, but not the main thing.
Our Old Testament reading from the prophet Amos harshly criticizes those caught up in the values of the world, particularly the greed and selfishness that gives God the minimum while being impatient to get back to “real life” and making money, even to the extent of being dishonest in business. “When will the new moon be over,” you ask, “that we may sell our grain, and the sabbath, that we may display the wheat?” How much longer is Mass going to last? Why do I have to go to Mass on Holy Days of Obligation? These get in the way of work and my schedule, “my time.” Maybe I can sneak out before it’s over, especially if it means I don’t have to deal with other people in the parking lot. Why does the Church say we have to do this or that, or it says we can’t do this or that? Everyone else seems more free to do what they want.
God has given us everything, he gave the maximum sacrifice, he gives the maximum revelation, the maximum grace, he even made the best possible most beautiful world, which he then entrusted to our stewardship in our free will. God is perfect in all things, including his generosity. And our response should not only be what is required of us, but it should be with joy and thanksgiving, and to return the maximum to him in his glory and goodness. If we made our entire life, our maximum offering, to him, with the same family, job, vocation, and gifts that he has given us, how would our life look different? Not only staying for all of the Mass, but having read and prayed on the readings as our preparation, arriving early to focus our hearts, being as engaged as possible during the liturgy and our spoken and sung participation, receiving the Eucharist with maximum reverence, and staying a few minutes after Mass to give thanks and ask for his blessings throughout the upcoming week. Giving intentionally and generously a portion of our material resources to the support of the Church and to various charitable opportunities. Praying with the scriptures daily, driving with patience and safety, working our best at our jobs (or at school) with maximum virtue, kindness, preparation, and wisdom, living out the various teachings of the Church in their intent to sanctify and open every moment of our lives to glorify God and receive the grace of God available to us, that we might “pray without ceasing” by making our every moment, every aspect of our humanity and our time, talent, and treasure, an offering to him. Would your life be more or less holy? More or less successful? More or less happy? God’s way is always the best way. But that’s just the fruit of keeping the main thing the main thing—making our life about loving and serving God, including serving him in our neighbors. And if our neighbors don’t know him, inviting them into that relationship and inviting them to church.
Our gospel reading has long been considered one of Jesus’ most difficult parables to understand. Why does he tell of the rich master (usually an image of God in the parables of Jesus), praising a dishonest thief? Without getting into the weeds on the parable, I want to just take a few lines out of it in the time we have here.
“For the children of this world are more prudent in dealing with their own generation than are the children of light.” The people committed to worldly life are better at being worldly than the people of faith are at being commited to living like people of faith. The life of faith is meant to be transformative. And a lot of times, people of faith are more like the worldly than we are at living like we are set apart from it. I recently heard a quote that said, “Jesus called us to be salt and light. What do salt and light have in common? They change the environments they come in contact with. They don’t conform, they don’t affirm, they transform what they come in contact with. Are you transforming the environment you are coming in contact with? …We must challenge people to be greater, to reach higher, to be biblical, to be Christlike, as we continue to be salt and light.” That was quoting Charlie Kirk. He may have talked about politics and social issues, but he always kept the main thing the main thing: bringing people to Christ. And in the wake of his death, young adults are checking out church, some for the first time, in a way they haven’t in generations (especially at that stage of life when most Christians drift away from church).
Then one of the difficult phrases of this parable, maybe made even harder with the translation, “I tell you, make friends for yourselves with dishonest wealth, so that when it fails, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.” Jesus is using the phrase dishonest wealth to mean the things of this world, passing material things, earthly money. And by making friends with it he means use it to wisely invest it in spiritually beneficial ways, in holy ways, knowing how unimportant it really is in terms of eternity, so that when you leave this world and you can’t take it with you, that you have made yourself into a spiritually rich person, having been a good and holy steward of what was entrusted to your care.
“If you are not trustworthy with what belongs to another, who will give you what is yours?” If you are a good and virtuous steward of God’s gifts entrusted to your care, investing them to become rich in what matters to God, you will receive the reward of your responsible care of those gifts: the greatest gift, your eternal life, the perfect fulfillment of your humanity in God, what you were created for. Because you kept the main thing the main thing. You kept your focus on God, on your eternal soul, and the eternal souls of those around you, which you have a responsibility for, to the extent that you have a potential impact on them. Read C. S. Lewis’ essay, “The Weight of Glory,” it’s a beautiful reflection on that topic, of the weight of obligation we have of being a holy influence on others for the sake of their eternal heavenly glory.
And so, it’s easy to think that what is most important is what the world is telling us to be emotionally invested in, or even the worldy effects of the gospel and the Church teachings that flow from it. Yes, there are political, social, and moral dimensions of Church teaching—care for the poor, the environment, for peace, for morality, for human rights, which have their source in God’s generous Creation and our God-given image and dignity. And as Christians we do need to be involved in the public dialogue, and in voting wisely for what the gospel requires of us. But these are indirect ways of serving the gospel. Secondary things. Not the main thing. The main thing is not solving the problems of the world. The main thing is the gospel. The Church has a prophetic role in the world, the voice of conscience, reminding us of good and evil, life and death, and we should understand, share, and live the prophetic truth of the gospel in our lives. Is it Jesus that comes out of our mouth? That comes out in our actions? Is it Jesus alone that sits on the throne of our heart? He has given us everything. Everything we do is by his generosity poured upon us. Do we respond by serving him as generously in return? Do we praise him, glorify him, serve him, share him, speak to others of him, and keep him as the center of our life?
Because that’s the main thing.
The Snarky Vicar 