25th Sunday Ordinary Time September 21, 2025

Readings: Amos 8.4-7 1Timothy 2.1-7 Luke 16.1-13

The first reading, from the Prophet Amos, describes those who actively plot to defraud others. Probably if we are listening to this homily, we are not people who actively work to defraud others. If we are, we are invited to change our ways! If we are not, then we need to look more deeply at our attitudes towards others.

The second reading is rarely related to the theme that is put before us in the first reading and the Gospel. Today, however, we can recognize that only in prayer will I come to live fully this mystery of Christ present in every other person. In prayer I must ask for the Holy Spirit to illumine my mind and my heart so that I can live these deepest mysteries of faith with fidelity.

The Gospel gives us the story of the steward who was cheating. When his master fires him from his job, he gets together with others who are also willing to cheat his master and they all take advantage of the master. Then the steward is able to go and work with these other cheaters. Of course, we know that they could never trust one another, but they now have a bond because they have conspired together in their cheating.

This illustrates what we often experience: if I tell one lie, then I have to begin to tell a whole string of lies because of the first one that I told. Cheating is the same kind of reality. It begins to create its own way of living and it is not good for anyone. Yet it brings a momentary gain.

So often we are invited by our Lord Jesus to have wisdom in the way we live. Wisdom is about recognizing the effects of the choices that we make and the actions that we perform each day. Jesus can see in the steward of today’s Gospel story a cunning about living. That cunning will help the steward in the short run. Jesus wants us to have that same cunning with regard to spiritual reality: we need to recognize what will truly help us live and then have the courage to do it.

Let us pray today for this gift of spiritual wisdom. Let us ask the Holy Spirit to show us the way to life!

                 Fr. Terry.