“CHRIST THE LIGHT MAKES YOU SONS OF LIGHT”
Saint Luke 16: 1-9
9th Sunday after Trinity: 18 August Anno Domini 2019
Father Jay Watson SSP
Literal proclamation of Christ’s Word is good most of the times. Words mean things—literal things almost always. But the Psalms do contain poetic imagery. Have you read Revelation?
Typical preaching on this text, every pastor’s least favorite 1-year Gospel pericope, would be simple and direct. Typical. Something like:
The Lord says that even sinfully bad men can be clever in their preparation for troubling turns of events and therefore God’s own children should likewise be attentive to their own coming future. Yes. That is true. There’s also a whole book of Proverbs in Scripture with such good and true advice. But more so, Jesus is the heart of the story.
The “certain rich man” is God. More specifically Christ Himself. He is rich because everything belongs to Him. His ownership and control are total and universal. He is owed obedience. His workers are his followers, His Disciples and servants if you will.
The “steward” is you—your “old Adam” habitual sinner. Even in your “Father’s house,” even as a rightful heir, you have responsibilities and duties. They are called The Law—The 10 Commandments. Not loving God perfectly is stealing that which rightfully belongs to The Lord. Not loving your neighbor perfectly is likewise—theft. Malfeasance, misfeasance, nonfeasance, it matters not. If you “waste His goods” you are guilty. Rightfully you should be removed, booted out, punished, and then left for death and damnation. The “steward” was told he could no longer be steward. The word is oikonomon from where our English word “economy” comes from. The man in the parable, and YOU, are part of The “rich man’s” economy—the care and nurture of His goods, desires, and kingdom mission. To steward the Garden of Eden, the 2019 environment, your own family’s inner-workings, and the care of the Church itself is STEWARDSHIP.
Since all men fall short of their duty—to be perfect in love and obedience—all men are in the “steward’s” situation.
Jesus says to all—“you cannot dig!” You can not by other so-called good works or disciplines or accomplishments satisfy your original failure. There’s nothing you can DO. Jesus says to all—“you cannot wallow in shame and begging.” To beg in the parable’s context is to wallow in self-centered despair.
The unjust manager, the sinful man, has but one option: to trust in the “rich man” and his mercy. To trust in God that he forgives and bestows Grace.
The two other debtors in the story also owe the rich man. The disgraced steward steps into the shoes (in the stead and by the command) of his former master and simply forgives debt. He, to be sure, doesn’t cancel everything, but he freely absolves huge amounts and sets the debtors free: “pennies on the dollar.”
Only Christ freely forgives everyone EVERYTHING, 100% of debt/sin wiped away. Jesus says that the “rich man” commended the steward for a wise decision. The wisdom was not in “cooking the books,” but rather was in trusting in the “rich man’s” mercy.
The “children of this world” are all the pagans and heathens. Yet, it is good when they can be wise, and industrious, and fair, and hard working.
The “children of light” are Christians—YOU are the children of light. Jesus is Light. Saint John says so in the prologue to his Gospel. The Church says so in the Nicene Creed. Jesus is Light. When you are “in Him” by faith you are in the light. As a lantern is filled with a burning candle—physically, you too as a vessel, are filled with the Light and life of Christ The Light—forensically, declaratively. But His word of absolution is physical. It is spoken. It does cleave the air and enters your ears physically. His Body and Blood are physically placed on your tongues. You “make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness” by using the daily and ordinary, mammon of bread and wine. The profane becomes The Sacred. It ceases to be a regular meal and becomes a life-light-giving Sacramental meal by The Light Himself when He speaks “let there be light” in the Words of Institution.
The “one hundred measures of wheat” in the parable becomes the endless and eternal Bread of Life in The Light of Jesus: The Sacrament of The Altar. The “one hundred measures of oil” becomes the resurrection renewing washing of righteousness in The Holy + Baptism.
And even at your life’s end. After the last Holy Mass you’ve attended and the last Eucharistic banquet is over—“This bread and This Wine” having been consumed; your friends—angels, archangels, and the host of heaven—will receive you into everlasting habitations where the Supper never ends.
The light of this solar system’s sun causes the watered ground to produce growth and life to the seemingly dead seeds planted in the dirt of Adam. The Light of Light of God’s own Son causes the + watered ground of your redeemed kernel/seed to rise from the grave at the Resurrection of the dead. You will rise into the Light of Jesus’ face and embrace.
This is most certainly true.
In the Name of the Father and + of the Son and of The Holy Ghost
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