by Rev Fr Raymond Raj
Amos 8:4-7
Psalm 112:1-2,4-8
1 Timothy 2:1-8
Luke 16:1-13
Theme: Be a Cheerful Giver; Not a Hoarder
My dear friends, today’s Gospel theme is about the battle between God and money.
Hollywood’s famous actor, Samuel L Jackson, maybe you have heard about him. Very handsome. Samuel L Jackson says, ‘Those who say money can’t buy happiness are those who don’t have money.‘ Those who say money cannot buy happiness never had money in their life.
I am very sure most of you will agree with me today. Money cannot buy happiness. It is true. But I also sincerely believe money creates opportunity, creates space to live a peaceful and happy life. As much as you can say money can’t buy happiness, money creates opportunity to be happy. I know it because I come from a poor family.
Brothers and sisters, on the contrary, lack of money definitely will lead a person or family to live an unhappy life or even chaos in the family. There was a lot of chaos in my family when I was a child due to lack of money.
So my dear friends, speaking of money, a strong beautiful story comes to my mind.
A young man by the name Mutusamy, by the name himself you know he is a Hindu, Hindu young man. Mutusamy went to a Catholic church to see a priest.
He said, ‘Father. I need a favour from you, Father.’
So the Father said, ‘Tell me Mutusamy. How can I help you?’
Mutusamy said, ‘Father, my dog is not feeling well. My dog has been sick for a few months already. Can you, Father, please pray over my dog? Can you please pray over my dog? Or worse still, can you please take the holy water and bless my dog because my dog is very sick?’
The Catholic priest got angry and said, ‘No way! It is impossible. Are you out of your mind?’
The priest challenged Mutusamy. ‘Furthermore, as a Catholic priest, I only bless human beings, not animals.’
Father got angry a bit. ‘I bless humans not animals.’
So Mutusamy asked the priest again, ‘Father, does the Protestant church do the blessing for animals or praying over? Does the Protestant church does this, to pray over my dog? Is it possible?”
Father said, ‘I don’t know and I don’t wish to know also whether they can pray over dogs.’
Father was getting angry. Mutusamy said, ‘Okay, Father. thank you, Father. I will go and check with the Protestant church. By the way, Father, just one last question. Can I give this $3,000 to the Pastor, to the Protestant Pastor if he choose to bless my dog? Can I give $3,000 cash, this cash that I am carrying to the Pastor if he agrees to bless my dog?’
Hearing $3,000, the Catholic Priest said, ‘Ah, I have forgotten. Mutusamy, I have forgotten. Actually, I do blessing for animals. Bring your dog here now. I am going to sprinkle it with water, holy water and pray over it.’
My dear friends, there is a beautiful saying in Tamil – Even a dead body will open its eyes or even mouth when it hears the word ‘Money’. As the dead body hears the word ‘Money’, the dead body will open its mouth.
Serious business. In today’s Gospel, Jesus tells a parable of a cunning rich man who took advantage of the whole situation. At the end of the story, Jesus surprisingly praised him for his astuteness.
My dear friends, this unjust steward moved very quick to collect quick cash and cheated his master. At the same time, this unjust steward made friends with the debtors who will eventually care for him when he is out of a job.
So my dear friends, I suppose as I reflect on today’s Gospel, in the Catholic church especially in the church ministry or even parish mission, be it clergy or be it faithful, lay faithful, either clergy or faithful, we can also be equally cunning. As a priest, I can also become equally cunning. As lay people, you also can become equally cunning and unjust.
For example, if you don’t get my point today. One may choose, a lay person may choose to be very close to the parish priest. Very close in order to move his or her agenda, secret agenda. He will choose to be very close with the parish priest thus he wants to gain fame and popularity.
On the other hand, a priest may fall into the same trap. A priest may try to be very close to the Bishop, acquainted with the Bishop in order to become Bishop one day.
My dear friends, always remember this. Any unjust action or agenda by the clergy or even lay faithful, any unjust action will eventually be exposed by God.
Let me tell you this today. You can have all your secret agendas in the world, in the church, but God will expose it publicly.
My dear friends, when God exposes us publicly, then no amount of effort can redeem our dignity. If you want to play with God, if God exposes you, there is no way for you to redeem your dignity again.
So my dear friends, everyone dreams to be on the top, including the clergy by hook or crook. Therefore, taking advantage, exploitation, victimising others has become part of our culture today.
Even though the unjust steward succeeded in today’s Gospel to cheat his master, he has forgotten that there is a price to pay. A price to pay on judgment day.
So my dear friends, no one in this world can spare himself or herself from God’s final judgment, including myself. No one.
My dear friends, the message that I wish to share with you today is human life on earth is temporary. Which means all our money, wealth, status, recognition is also temporary. It has no meaning at all, no bearing at all in our next life.
If you and I fail to live a honest life, if you and I live a dishonest life, there is a price to pay perpetually. if you and I live a dishonest life, impure life, there is a price to pay.
And the best part of our next life is there is no crossing over. Our next life, there is no crossing over. It is either heaven with God forever or hell with the evil one. No crossing over.
So in this holy Mass, we pray for the grace to live an honest life, a life that is pleasing, a life that is God-fearing.
Amen.
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