Ang Tapat at Mabuting Katiwala

“ You can’t walk with God holding hands with the devil.”

First Reading: Amos 8:4-7

Hear this, you who trample upon the needy, and bring the poor of the land to an end, saying, "When will the new moon be over, that we may sell grain? And the sabbath, that we may offer wheat for sale, that we may make the ephah small and the shekel great, and deal deceitfully with false balances, that we may buy the poor for silver and the needy for a pair of sandals, and sell the refuse of the wheat?" The LORD has sworn by the pride of Jacob: "Surely I will never forget any of their deeds.

Psalm: Psalm 113:1-2, 4-8

Second Reading: 1 Timothy 2:1-8

First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all men, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life, godly and respectful in every way. This is good, and it is acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, the testimony to which was borne at the proper time. For this I was appointed a preacher and apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth. I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling;

Gospel: Luke 16:1-13

He also said to the disciples, "There was a rich man who had a steward, and charges were brought to him that this man was wasting his goods. And he called him and said to him, `What is this that I hear about you? Turn in the account of your stewardship, for you can no longer be steward.'And the steward said to himself, `What shall I do, since my master is taking the stewardship away from me? I am not strong enough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg. I have decided what to do, so that people may receive me into their houses when I am put out of the stewardship.'

So, summoning his master's debtors one by one, he said to the first, `How much do you owe my master?' He said, `A hundred measures of oil.' And he said to him, `Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.' Then he said to another, `And how much do you owe?' He said, `A hundred measures of wheat.' He said to him, `Take your bill, and write eighty.' The master commended the dishonest steward for his shrewdness; for the sons of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than the sons of light. And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous mammon, so that when it fails they may receive you into the eternal habitations.

"He who is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much; and he who is dishonest in a very little is dishonest also in much. If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will entrust to you the true riches? And if you have not been faithful in that which is another's, who will give you that which is your own? No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon."

Reflection
By Elizabeth Eguia

Tayong lahat ay pinapaalalahan na maging mabuting katiwala ng Diyos. Ito ang tema ng ating pagbasa ngayong Linggo. Ang mga pangunahing biyaya Niya ay ang:  (1) oras o panahon, (2)  kalusugan,  (3) mga talento, at (4) kayamanan. Dapat tayo ay maging mapagmatyag at may kamalayan sa kung papaano natin ginagamit ang mga biyayang ito. Sa araw ng pagharap natin sa Kanya tayo ay kailangang mag-ulat tungkol dito.

Paano at saan ko nga ba inuukol ang 24 oras bawat araw? Ginagamit ko ba ang aking oras sa pagtrabaho para suportahan ang aking pamilya? Bilang estudyante, pumapasok ba ako sa eskwelahan o nagka-cutting classes ba ako at pumupunta sa computer shop para mag-dota? Bilang empleyado, ibinibigay ko ba ang walo o mahigit pa na oras sa paggawa at pagtapos ng trabaho?  Bilang mga anak, naibibigay ko ba ang aking oras sa pagtulong sa aking mga magulang sa mga gawaing bahay? At kung ako ba ay isang magulang, nakakapagbigay ba ako ng “quality time” sa aking asawa at mga anak?

Gaano ko ba inaalagaan ang aking kalusugan? Kumakain ba ako ng tamang pagkain tulad ng gulay at prutas at hindi mga tsitsirya? Naglalaan ba ako ng panahon para mag ehersisyo o inilalaan ko ba ito sa aking mga bisyo tulad ng pag-inom ng alak at paghithit ng sigarilyo?

Pinapaunlad ko ba at ginagamit ng tama ang aking mga talento katulad ng isang dalubhasang doktor o mang-aawit? Ginagamit ko ba ito para sa pansariling kapakanan at kasikatan at hindi para makatulong sa ibang tao? Ang kayamanan na aking inipon o namana ay ginagamit ko lang ba para sa pansariling kapakanan? Nilulustay ko ba ang aking pera sa bisyo o sugal imbes na ito ay ipunin o “i-invest” para pa lumago?

Ito ay ilan lamang sa mga katanungan na dapat ay kaya nating sagutin habang tayo ay nandito sa mundo. Bilang mabuti at tapat na katiwala, dapat na ginagamit natin nang tama ang mga biyayang ito upang di tayo magsisi sa huli kung ito ay bawiin sa atin. Tulad na lamang ng ilan sa ating mga kababayan na nilustay ang kanilang naipon sa kanilang bisyo at ngayon ay naghihirap na. O kaya naman ang ilan na dinapuan nang sakit dahil hindi inilagaan ang katawan.

Prayer

Dakila at makapangyarihang Ama, salamat sa lahat ng mga biyaya na Iyong pinagkaloob sa amin. Salamat sa oras at panahon, sa mabuting kalusugan, mga talento, at kayamanan. Salamat at patuloy mo kaming pinapa-alalahanan na gamitin ang mga ito nang tama at sa mabuting paraan. Salamat at pinagkatiwalaan Mo kami. Nawa ay gabayan Mo kami lalo na sa mga sandali na kami ay nalilihis ng landas at di pinapahalagahan ang mga ito. Kami ay marurupok lamang at madalas na nagkakamali. Bigyan Mo kami ng lakas ng loob at karunungan upang maging mabuting katiwala Mo. Amen.