September 18, 2016

25th Sunday in Ordinary Time

 

Today’s gospel contrasts worldly wisdom with spiritual wisdom.  The story of the steward is not something we would expect to hear in the gospel.  Here a man misuses his masters wealth, and knowing he is about to be called on the carpet, makes it worse.  The master smiles at his behavior, because he knows what he did was done to provided for himself once he was out of work.  The people who’s debt he cut in half are going to love him and defend him as a “great” guy.  In actuality they are sharing in his dishonesty and find in him a companion.  Unbelievable! 

 

Then comes something we would expect to find in the gospel.  The recognition that those who are honest in small things will be honest in big things.  Also, those who are dishonest in little things will be dishonest in bigger things. Without getting scrupulous, we can recognize truth in this, for I think we are all apt to trust someone who shows us they are trustworthy in little things. 

 

Thinking about this I smiled when I thought about the phrase, “I told a little white lie”.  We use that phrase to say a little lie isn’t a bad thing. We do this when we don’t want to hurt someone’s feelings. “No, you look fine, it’s a nice hair cut”.  When we really think it could use a little fixing. 

 

There may be a place for that, but there are also times when a little more honesty would be better for everyone. If we are not honest, we build resentments which will cause greater pain later for ourselves and others.  Communicating honestly is important.  It is only then that we can be heard by others, and with their feedback, reach a deeper insight into what we originally thought was “true”.  In honest exchange our truth and other’s truth becomes greater.  It also builds communion among us, which is a profound way of living out the Eucharist as the central mystery of our lives in God.  So let us strive to mean “yes” when we say yes, and “no” when we say no. But in all things, speak with love.