Dear Brothers and Sisters,

The Gospel this Sunday presents one of the most puzzling parables Jesus ever told: the story of the dishonest steward. At first glance, it almost sounds like Jesus is praising dishonesty. But of course, He is not. Jesus is teaching us about stewardship, priorities, and fidelity — lessons that cut to the heart of our discipleship.

Let us walk through the Gospel carefully, and then connect it to our Catholic faith, the witness of the saints, and our own daily choices.

Before John Wesley became the founder of the Methodist movement, he was a teacher at Oxford in the 1700s. His salary grew over the years, but his lifestyle did not. He lived on 28 or 30 pounds a year and gave away everything else. The more he earned, the more he gave. He believed that what should rise with income is not our standard of living but our standard of giving.

While Wesley was not Catholic, his insight echoes something profoundly Christian: our wealth is not meant for ourselves alone. It is entrusted to us to be used wisely, generously, for God’s glory and the good of others. This is exactly what Jesus points to in the parable today.

The steward in the parable squandered his master’s goods. He wasted what had been entrusted to him. And when his job was about to be taken away, he acted shrewdly, reducing debts so that others might welcome him later. Jesus doesn’t praise his dishonesty, but his initiative. At least he did something with what he had.

How often do we, as people of faith, lack that same zeal? People in the business world can be bold, clever, and resourceful when it comes to money. But in matters of faith, we can be timid or half-hearted.

Saint Lawrence, the deacon and martyr of Rome, understood this well. When the emperor demanded that he hand over the treasures of the Church, Lawrence brought forward the poor, the widows, and the orphans and said: “These are the treasures of the Church.” He was arrested and killed for his boldness, but his witness still speaks today. He showed that true wealth is not in gold or silver, but in people — especially those loved by Christ.

In our own lives, how do we use the money, talents, and opportunities entrusted to us? Do we see them as gifts for our comfort, or tools for God’s Kingdom? The world says: Increase your standard of living. Jesus says: Increase your standard of giving.

Jesus goes on: “Whoever is faithful in very little is faithful also in much.” Fidelity in the small things reveals our character.

Let me share a story. Bernard Brown, president of a healthcare system in Georgia, once told of a patient who spilled some water by his hospital bed. The nurse’s aide said it was too big a spill for her, so she called housekeeping. The housekeeper arrived and insisted it was too small for her department. They argued until the frustrated patient poured the entire pitcher on the floor and said: “Now is it big enough?”

That’s a picture of how we sometimes live our faith. We argue about whose job it is, what counts, what’s “big” or “small.” Meanwhile, God is watching how we handle even the smallest choices.

Saint Thérèse of Lisieux reminds us that “little things” matter. She lived her “little way” of holiness by doing ordinary tasks — sweeping floors, folding laundry, listening with patience — with extraordinary love. That faithfulness in small things made her one of the great saints of the Church.

So too, God looks at how we handle everyday decisions: how we speak about others, how we treat the cashier at the grocery store, how we spend our free time, how honest we are when no one is watching. If we cannot be faithful in the little matters of daily life, how can God entrust us with greater spiritual riches?

Finally, Jesus concludes: “You cannot serve both God and mammon.” In other words, money is a useful tool, but a terrible master. If we devote ourselves to it, it enslaves us.

Saint Francis of Assisi knew this truth deeply. He renounced his family wealth to follow Christ in poverty. To many, he looked like a fool. But Francis discovered the joy of being free — free to serve God without divided loyalties. His poverty was not misery, but a radical dependence on the Father’s providence.

This doesn’t mean we are all called to give up our jobs or possessions. But it does mean we must examine our hearts. Do I own my possessions, or do they own me? Do I cling to security in my savings account, or in God’s providence?

In daily life, the test is simple. Do I pray before I purchase? Do I give to those in need without hesitation? Do I tithe to the Church and charities as a first priority, or only with what is left over? Do I place my ultimate trust in the God who feeds the sparrows and clothes the lilies?

1. In the family: Parents, your children watch how you use money. If they see generosity to the poor, they will learn generosity. If they see anxiety or greed, they will learn the same.

2. In the workplace: How do you handle the “small spills”? Are you trustworthy in your responsibilities, even when no one is checking? Faithfulness at work is part of Christian witness.

3. In parish life: Do we give of our time, talents, and treasure to the parish community? The Church depends not only on money, but on faithful stewards who serve, volunteer, and build up the Body of Christ.

4. In personal prayer: Each of us must ask: Am I serving God or mammon? What do my choices reveal about where my heart is?

There is a story of a rabbi who invited a rich man to look out his window. “What do you see?” he asked. “I see men, women, and children,” the man replied. Then the rabbi led him to a mirror. “Now what do you see?” “I see myself.” The rabbi said: “The glass is the same. The only difference is a little silver. As soon as silver is added, you cease to see others and see only yourself.”

Money, like silver, can blind us to others. The steward in the parable used money, however dishonestly, to open doors. Jesus tells us: Use money wisely. But never let it master you.

Dear brothers and sisters, the message today is clear:

• Use wealth wisely: let your standard of giving rise higher than your standard of living.

• Be faithful in small things: character is built in the daily, hidden choices.

• Serve God alone: money is temporary, God is eternal.

Saint Lawrence, Saint Francis, Saint Thérèse — they remind us that true riches lie not in barns or bank accounts, but in God’s grace and love.

Billy Graham once said: “When wealth is lost, nothing is lost; when health is lost, something is lost; when character is lost, all is lost.”

Jesus invites us today to be wise stewards, faithful servants, and undivided disciples. We live in a temporary world with eternal consequences. May we be trustworthy with what has been entrusted to us, so that one day we may be welcomed into eternal dwellings.