Saturday of the Thirty-first Week in Ordinary Time
Intention: That all of us may embrace a vision for our world that is rooted in realizing the best and truest fulfillment of our identity as one people created to live together in peace, justice, and love.
Today’s Gospel | Luke 16: 9-15
Jesus said to his disciples: “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 God and mammon.”
The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all these things and sneered at him. And he said to them, “You justify yourselves in the sight of others, but God knows your hearts; for what is of human esteem is an abomination in the sight of God.”
From the Ninth Meditation for the Time of Retreat | Saint John Baptist de La Salle
Let it be clear, then, in all your conduct toward the children who are entrusted to you, that you regard yourselves as the ministers of God, carrying out your ministry with love and a sincere and true zeal, accepting with much patience the difficulties you have to suffer, willing to be despised by men and to be persecuted, even to give your life for Jesus in the fulfillment of your ministry.
The zeal that ought to inspire you is meant to give you these dispositions, so that you recognize that it is God who has called you, who has destined you for this work, and who has sent you to labor in his vineyard. Do this, then, with all the affection of your heart, working entirely for him.
Prayer
Eternal Father, your Son taught us that we must guard against replacing you with the possessions and attractions of this world. Our lives can only find their fullness in knowing you and in doing your will. Open our eyes to those false riches that can only mislead us away from our redemption. Help us to treasure your gifts to us and to find our joy and wholeness in using them to build your Kingdom. We ask this of you who lives and reigns with your Son and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.