Sunday
- 21 September 2025 – XXV Sunday in Ordinary Time (C)
Mass Readings:
Amos 8:4-7 Ps 113 1 Tim 2:1-8 Lk 16:1-13
Key Verse to Meditate:
No 1servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one, and love
the other, or else he will hold to one, and despise the other. You cannot serve
God and mammon" (Lk 16:13).
Dear Brothers and Sisters in the Lord,
The Twenty-Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time comes as
a clarion call against social injustices committed against the poor. It reminds
us of the need to be faithful to God’s service—especially by being faithful in
small matters.
In today’s Gospel, Jesus does not praise the
dishonesty of the steward, but rather commends his foresight in preparing for
the future. The message is simple yet profound: those who are faithful in small
responsibilities can be entrusted with greater ones. We are reminded that
material wealth is not ours to own, but ours to steward wisely.
The First Reading – Prophet Amos and the Cry for Justice
The prophet Amos, one of
the earliest of the great classical prophets (around 750 BCE), bears a name
that means “loader” (cf. Gen 44:13; Is 46:1–3)—perhaps because he laid upon
Israel a heavy burden of woes. His message is a passionate cry for justice
(mishpat) and righteousness (tsedaqah) (Amos 5:7, 24;
6:12), rooted in the very character of God.
While Hosea lamented
Israel’s unfaithfulness, Amos thundered against Israel’s blatant violations of
God’s standards. He depicts God as “the One who roars” (Amos 1:2) and declares
that any religion separated from righteous living is detestable to the Lord.
Today’s reading highlights
his sharp social criticism, directed at those who exploited the marketplace for
personal gain—combining greed with dishonesty, especially at the expense of the
vulnerable. He particularly condemns the practice of debt-slavery, where the
destitute were sold “for silver” or “for a pair of sandals.” Such acts were not
minor offenses but grave violations of God’s law, reducing human beings to mere
commodities. The full list of these crimes appears in Amos 8:4–6 (see also Amos
5:10–12; 4:1). Through this, Amos raises the timeless theme of social justice,
reminding us that God is deeply concerned for the poor and the oppressed.
The Second Reading – The Call to Prayer for All
In the second reading, St.
Paul speaks about the nature and scope of prayer within the Church. He urges
the Christian community to pray for all people, including those in authority,
so that society may enjoy peace, godliness, and dignity (1 Tim 2:1–2).
Paul makes it clear: prayer
must support the Church’s universal mission. It cannot be confined to personal
concerns but must embrace the salvation of all humanity. When we pray for
leaders—secular as well as religious—we are praying for a social and political
order in which the Gospel can take root and flourish.
Finally, Paul exhorts
believers to “lift up holy hands” in prayer (1 Tim 2:8), a powerful image of
purity, sincerity, and total surrender before God.
The Gospel – The Parable of the Dishonest
Steward
This Sunday’s Gospel presents the parable of the
prudent (or dishonest) steward, a teaching unique to Luke. It resonates with
similar lessons in Luke 12:13–21 (18th Sunday) and Luke 16:19–31 (26th Sunday).
The common thread is clear: those enslaved by wealth find it difficult to break
free from its grip, often leading to dishonesty and moral compromise.
In the parable, the steward had been exploiting
his master’s debtors by charging excessive interest. According to the Law of
Moses, such interest was strictly forbidden (Ex 22:25; Lev 25:35–37; Deut
15:7–8; 23:20–21), since it burdened the poor and often drove them into
bankruptcy. By reducing the debts, the steward may have been removing these
unlawful charges, thus acting more in line with the Mosaic law.
When the master discovered his mismanagement, he
demanded an account and announced the steward’s dismissal (cf. Gen 42:28). The
steward now had a brief window of time to settle the records. Facing the loss
of his livelihood, he acted shrewdly: he reduced the debts, most likely by
forgoing his own commission, thereby winning the goodwill of the debtors
without causing his master financial loss.
Jesus does not commend the steward’s dishonesty
but his prudence—his ability to act decisively in a moment of crisis. The point
is this: just as the steward used his resources wisely to secure his earthly
future, so too must disciples act with wisdom, foresight, and urgency in
preparing for God’s coming judgment.
In Luke 16:8, the master praises the steward for
acting shrewdly, and Jesus adds: “For the sons of this world are more
shrewd in dealing with their own generation than the sons of light.”
Here Jesus contrasts two groups: the “sons of this world,” who are clever and
practical in securing temporal gains, and the “sons of light” (Jn 12:36; 1
Thess 5:5; Eph 5:8), who are called to live with vigilance and discernment in
view of eternal realities. Sadly, the children of this world often show more
determination in pursuing what is passing than the children of light do in
pursuing what is everlasting.
To Gain Friends by Means of Mammon
Jesus tells His disciples:
“Make friends for yourselves by means of worldly wealth, or the mammon of
unrighteousness” (Lk 16:9; Mt 6:24). Worldly wealth is temporary—it vanishes
with death and ultimately comes to nothing. Therefore, wealth must be shared
with the poor.
The Aramaic root mammon
can mean “wealth of any kind” or “that in which one puts his trust.” Jesus
warns us that worldly wealth stands in opposition to heavenly treasure. Once
earthly wealth is gone, the one who has given alms and used it generously will
be welcomed into the eternal kingdom—as illustrated later in the parable of the
rich man and Lazarus (Lk 16:19–31). Money cannot accompany us into heaven. Its
value is limited when measured against eternal life. Hence, Jesus calls His
disciples to recognize its limits, to use it prudently, responsibly, and
generously—especially in service to the poor. The phrase to gain friends by
means of mammon means using wealth in such a way that others experience
your stewardship, kindness, and generosity.
Faithful Stewardship
The closing verses (Lk
16:10–13) shift the focus to stewardship: “He who is faithful in a very little
thing is faithful also in much; and he who is unrighteous in a very little
thing is unrighteous also in much.”(Lk 16:10).
Jesus emphasizes that no
one can serve both God and wealth. Undivided loyalty is the hallmark of true
discipleship (cf. Mt 25:21; Lk 19:17; 1 Cor 4:2): “To whom much has been given,
much will be required” (Lk 12:48). A servant of Christ cannot divide allegiance
between God and money. The disciple is expected to demonstrate loyalty,
integrity, and unwavering faithfulness to Christ alone.
Jesus underlines here two key lessons:
- Faithfulness in small matters –
“He who is faithful in very little is faithful also in much” (Lk 16:10).
Small acts of honesty and loyalty prepare us for greater responsibilities
in God’s kingdom.
- Undivided loyalty –
“You cannot serve both God and wealth” (Lk 16:13). Wealth is not evil in
itself, but when it enslaves us, it becomes a rival to God. We are called
to be stewards, not masters, of the gifts entrusted to us.
The Quality Expected of a Steward
Jesus compares worldly
wealth with heavenly wealth, and small responsibilities with great ones. He
makes it clear: a disciple who is unfaithful in handling earthly goods cannot
be entrusted with the true riches of heaven (cf. 1 Tim 3:5).
The lesson is simple but
vital: one who is dishonest in little things will also be dishonest in greater
ones (Lk 12:42; 16:11; 19:17; 1 Cor 4:2). A disciple must always remember that
worldly wealth does not truly belong to him—it is entrusted to him by God.
Faithfulness in stewardship, therefore, is not merely about handling money but
about honouring the One who has given it.
A Story of Divided Loyalty
There was once an elderly woman who never missed Sunday Mass. After
every Mass, she would approach the statue of St. Michael the Archangel and
reverently kiss both the archangel and the figure of Satan crushed under his
feet.
When asked why, she explained: “Father, I am old and close to the grave.
If I go to heaven, St. Michael will care for me. But if I go to hell, perhaps
Satan will look after me there.”
Her response, though humorous, is a warning: divided loyalty is
unacceptable in the eyes of God. We must choose whom we serve.
No One Can Serve Two Masters
The final warning of Jesus in today’s Gospel-“You
cannot serve both God and wealth” (Lk 16:13)-is both a call to integrity in
God’s service and a caution against becoming enslaved by possessions. As
disciples, we must guard ourselves against the temptation to be mastered by
worldly wealth or mammon.
May we be found, in God’s sight, faithful in
small matters, wise in the use of our resources, and steadfast in serving Him
above all else. God demands undivided and exclusive loyalty. Spiritually, this
means that if we attempt to serve both God and mammon, we will inevitably fail
to render to God the wholehearted devotion that His glory and honour deserve.
Conclusion
In today’s parable of the dishonest manager,
Jesus highlights not only the danger of worldly wealth
but also the misuse of wealth that is dishonestly acquired or selfishly
employed. The lesson is clear: disciples of Christ must recognize that they are
not owners of material possessions but stewards of them.
Rather than fixing our hearts on earthly wealth,
we are called to set our minds on the true treasure—Christ Himself, the Light
who has come into the world and enlightens every person (Jn 1:9). When we live
with this perspective, God entrusts us with the greater riches of faithful
stewardship.
In the New Testament, stewardship is not limited
to material possessions; it is also applied to the proclamation of the Gospel.
St. Paul, in particular, presents this as the highest form of stewardship (cf.
1 Cor 9:17; Rom 3:2; Gal 2:7; 1 Thess 2:4; 1 Tim 1:11; Tit 1:3). Thus, our true
calling as disciples is to use material resources responsibly while dedicating
ourselves to the greater mission of witnessing to the Gospel, which is the
treasure of eternal value.
Points for Personal
Reflection
1. Am
I divided in my loyalty to God?
2. Do
I serve God or wealth?
3. Do
I act as a steward of material possessions or as their owner?
4. How
do I treat the poor I encounter, remembering Amos’ warning?
5. Do
I pray sincerely for leaders—spiritual and political—so that society may
reflect God’s justice and peace?
