“MAKING FRIENDS”
Saint Luke 16. 1-9
The Ninth Sunday after Trinity: 24 July Anno Domini 2005
Fr Watson
There is one thing that our Lord's parable does, and one thing it most assuredly does not do. The story which Jesus tells emphatically makes a point which He desires His 12 Disciples to take to heart. It is another one of His unique teaching tools, His enlightening the 12 for their future ministry on your behalf, on behalf of the Church Catholic. There's also something which the story does not do. It does not endorse, promote, or encourage dishonesty, "sharp" practices, lying, embezzlement or the accumulation of money and goods as a "hedge" against old age and bad times.
The Lord's point, the crescendo of the morality play comes at the very end where He gently chastises the 12: "For the Sons of this world are more shrewd in their generation than the sons of light."
What does this mean?
First the parable, and note well to whom the Lord is telling it to--to the Disciples--to those very men who will be Christ's own stewards.
There is a rich man who has a steward, a flock owner who has a shepherd, an owner who has a manager. The relationship is that of a fiduciary; the steward is bound to perform his role for the best interests of the rich man. The relationship is one of "power-of-attorney," of full authority to represent. To use theological terminology, the rich man has made the steward his "apostle," that is, his ambassador, his "sent one."
The steward is apparently dishonest, or at least has comported his business dealings on behalf of his master in such a way that a "bad report" is generated. An accusation was brought that the steward was "wasting goods." The master apparently dealt in large quantities of oil and wheat. The steward was either dishonest or incompetent.
The real rich man in the Christian cosmos, the visible and the invisible, is the blessed holy Trinity--God is the rich man, that is, Jesus Himself is the possessor of all good things, all good gifts, all oil and wheat of whatever kind. The "real" stewards of the real Master are his own 12 disciples, and all of their successors.
In the parable the fired steward does not want to end up in the gutter the prison or the poorhouse. He is shrewd enough to realize that there's nothing he can do to save himself; he has no talents or skills or qualities that can make the story turn out for the best. Instead, the steward simply relies on the rich mans' own riches, and what's even more abundant, apparently, the rich man's mercy and grace - the bigness of his heart. How so? The steward's gamble is that even if he, in a purely commercial business sense, further defrauds his master's property, the eventual pay-off will be good for him. He is trusting his "soon-to-be-ex" master with not imprisoning him for his "cut- rate" "fire-sale" instant bill collection. And sure enough it all worked for the steward. The steward, "in the name and by the command" of the rich man, forgave huge debts to grateful debtors. The debtors were so thankful that they would very soon be willing to help the ex-steward with lodging, food, and physical necessities; they would take him into their own homes and provide for him. The rich man himself, whose own reputation for generosity would now be boosted immensely, was so impressed by the steward's creative shrewdness, that he actually commends him.
Now remember, Jesus doesn't lie, cheat, steal or allow it in any of His followers. You are never permitted to let the end justify the wrong means. You are never permitted to do evil or wrong even if you think it will result in a greater good. You all have commandments four, seven, eight, nine and ten, clearly staring you in the face every day. The point is not that you should be as wily and clever as the unjust steward; the point is that Jesus' stewards, that is, Jesus' apostles, should be as open, giving, forgiving, and adept at using the gifts of the "real" rich man as the parable's steward was at utilizing his own master's wealth. And this good news is also for all of you as well. This abundance of the rich mans goods are yours as well. You too are to use them shrewdly, or shall we say wisely and generously, with "foresight."
Jesus was telling the 12 that they were no longer the "sons of the world," those children have a different father, and a belief system that we still call heathen or pagan. No, the disciples, then and now, have God as their Father and Jesus as their rich, rich, generous master. The New Testament stewards are the "sons of light," for Jesus is that Light of the world. Pastors are to always make friends for themselves by using what would otherwise be only unrighteous mammon. The church's stewards are to use the same oil and wheat mentioned in the parable, in a New Sacramental way. But still in such a way that they forgive, forgive, and forgive all the rich man's debtors. Pastors are to administer, give away freely, the oil of Holy Baptism and the wheat of Holy Communion to forgive and to make the Father new and strong children. You are no longer merely servants, as Jesus once said to His 12, but also friends. What a beautiful word, friends. Do you fully appreciate that status? The Creator of all, is your friend! What a friend we have in Jesus, all our griefs and sorows He bore. The God-Man that picked up all your mess at keeping the will of God, He who obeyed for your disobedience is your friend. The God-Man Who died for your badness, now, still, calls you friend, because that is what you are.
You have been made God's friends because His other stewards have used the otherwise un-righteous mammon of tap water (for water without the Word is only water) and allowed Him to attach Christ Jesus to that water (the oil if you will). All the richness of the eternal master has been washed on to you and in to you. You have been washed + and now you are clean, You have been anointed His friends. You have been kept His friends because He continually calls you to dine with Him at His table of friendship. The stewards have used the otherwise un-righteous mammon of wine and bread (the wheat if you will) connected to God's Word to make it Christ's righteousness poured and placed into you!
You now have an everlasting home; a place at His table in His glorious presence.
In the Name of The Father and of The Son + and of The Holy Ghost