Be a good steward of our Lord

What a shocker, our lord Jesus recommended that you and I should make friends with the dishonest thief or steward. How could that be possible that our Lord praised this dishonest steward for his cunning ability negotiating getting his way around. Let's together unpack the gospel, and therefore understand what makes this Steward dishonest and therefore learn what are we expected by our Lord to be a good steward.

Let's begin with the rumor. There was a report. It's not actual evidence, just a report. It’s just an accusation that this is a Dishonest Steward who squander everything that the master entrusted to him. Now he gave himself away, actually he confirmed the accusation is true. Notice what he did. He did a very long list of planning. Here's the things that I have, I don't have the strength left to cultivate the land as a farmer, I can't do this anymore, therefore I'm going to negotiate. First he did not pay attention to the Master's wealth at all. He pays only attention to himself. That is the first, number one indication that this guy is not about the master, but all about him. Second, he negotiated not for the benefits of the master, but actually for his own benefits. I want to make friends with other people who owe the master, so that I could get away, I could make a path with them. If I get demoted, I have friends. I have friends. Once again did not really care about how much damage he caused the master, only about himself. my plan, my action plan, my dream and my desire to get away with this punishment possibly coming my way the master knew my problem. Interesting isn't it? Finally, he committed to it, he carried it out. And that makes him, my brothers and sisters, three things actually make him a dishonest Steward.

Now we know that the rumor about squandering the entire wealth of the master is true. Because this guy pays attention only to his position, only to himself, and then secretly negotiates behind the master's back, reduces the amount of money that they owe and secretly makes a deal with those people, kind of deal behind the master's back, all for himself. The reason why our Lord praises him is because of his ability to navigate.

The good Lord by way of doing so, proposing to you and to me, if this guy, a Dishonored Thief, knew how to get around, make sure somebody welcomed him at the end of the day when he no longer has anything in the Master's house. You and I, we are his children, you are my disciples should you consider doing something similar? Learn from this guy, learn when the day is still bright, and work out a deal, so that when your day is over, you have someone welcome you when you arrive. When the days are still bright, when the darkness is not here yet, make sure you prepare.

There are three things our Lord absolutely says to us. First, don't you think about yourself? The steward stops thinking about you, and the position that you hold. it's not everything you think about you, life is not all about you, life is more than that. About God, about others so our lord is saying, first of all, when we are chosen by him, when we are called his disciples, the first and foremost we think of God first. We think of the things of God first, we think of what he entrusted to us first, not ourselves above God, that's the number one lesson learned. Think about that.

The second lesson that we learn: when we think about God we have to take an inventory of our life. If the dishonored thief/steward thought of himself as I don't have the strength; I don't have the ability to do work anymore. I have to do something else that fits me. How about us? Have you ever thought about my dear brothers and sister sitting down and doing an inventory of the gift granted to us? What God has given us as gifts. Let It Be money, let it be life, Let It Be kindness, and compassion, Let It Be ability to design, let it be artistic skill, Let It Be anything as could contribute to the overall betterment of the entire community.

I want to give you an example of how that could be beautiful and amazingly transformative. Take a look at what we have in front. I got a few professional contractors to come over and take a look. Some of them say it probably cost you half a million dollars. Others say probably four hundred thousand; maybe 400 000 we could make it happen. However, I gathered a few friends. Those who love the good Lord, fear the church, and also work for the church at this moment. And we did all of this for less than a hundred thousand dollars, when it was all done and finished. Because of our people contributing their gifts and talents, and our people saying yes to the good God, and saying the gifts that I have received are actually coming from on high. It's time to bring it together, and say this is the act of Thanksgiving. I want to give back, I want to contribute, I want to share and therefore, I wanted to make It is beautiful together. It is not about me, it is about him and a mission he entrusted to us. That is the second lesson, my dear brothers and sister, take an inventory of the gifts that we have and learn, and begin to share them. A gift given, accepted, and not shared is neither function nor good.

The third lesson we should learn from this gospel and therefore apply to our life. Finally, my dear brothers and sisters, time for us. It’s time for us to really see our life through the lens of Faith, with the lens of Christ, through the lens that when we live our life in that way, money is no longer the only objective of life, our reputation is no longer the objective of life. When we look to the lance of our faith, to the lance of Christ, our life is a gift, our position in life is a gift, and therefore, as a steward we learn to see through the eyes of the master. We learn to see and do the things that our Master asks. Because we believe our Master is a good Master, our Lord is merciful and kind, our Lord is amazingly loving and forgiving. We dare to believe in him. Therefore we entrusted our life as a steward to him. And 天天他她她stewardship becomes a way of living, a way of seeing everything as a gift. And therefore, contributing and serving in a way that the Lord asks of us. And that's the way we transform life. And at the end, at the end when we say goodbye to this Earthly life, just like our Lord is saying: make friends with the dishonest wealth, so that when you go, you have the poor welcome you at the Gate of Heaven.

This life when we spend our life in such a way, those we care and love, the community that we serve, life has been touched by our generosity and good stewardship will be received into the Heavenly Kingdom. So learn and apply those lessons to the way in which we serve our Lord as a good steward.

作一位天主的好管家

在今天福音中最令人震驚的是，主耶穌稱讚一名不擇手段來達到辦事目的的不義管家，說他辦事精明。讓我們不一起研讀這段福音，來了解主耶穌對一個好管家的期待。

有謠言指控一位管家揮霍主人託付他管理的財物，但並沒有提供證據。主人聽到這個謠言後，就想開除他。這管家意識到主人的想法，就列出一份清單找出他可能的出路。發現自己無能力耕種又無法乞討，唯一 的辦法就是繼續揮霍主人的財物，取悅向主人借款的人，等失意後能得到這些人的接納。這個人腦中只有自己。他的方法並非為主人謀利，而是為自己的後路打算。這計劃提供了他揮霍主人財務指控的直接證據。這位管家的計劃，夢想，和逃避懲罰，都是以自己為出發點。最後，他執行了這個計劃，更證實了他確實是一名不義的管家。

現在我們知道，這個管家揮霍主人財富的傳言是真的。這傢伙只顧自己，暗中與負債者談判以減少欠的錢，也是為了自己。主耶穌只是稱讚他那不顧一切只求達到目的的專注力。

善良的主藉著這個故事告訴我們，如果這個不義的管家，都知道要確保當他在失利不再擁有任何東西時，會有人收容他。你和我是天主的子女，耶穌的弟子，我們是否也應該考慮做類似這未雨稠繆的事呢？趁天還亮時作一些準備，當你到達彼岸時，有人來歡迎你。是的，當天還亮時，黑暗尚未來到，一定要做好準備啊！

今天的福音中，主耶穌告訴我們三件事。首先，不要總是想到自己。好管家是無私的，不思念自己的職位。並不是所有的事情及一切都是關於你，生命不只是關於你，生命是關於天主，關於其他的人。當我們被選成祂的門徒時，我們首先要考慮到的是天主和祂所託付給我們的事，而不是將我們的需要放在天主之上。這是我們學到的第一個指示。

第二個指示是：當我們想到天主時，我們必須反省我們的生活。如果不義的管家認為自己沒有能力種田而必須做一些適合他的工作。那麼我們呢？有沒有坐下來反省天主賜給我們的禮物？天主賜給我們各種禮物：金錢，生命，良善，同情心，創作能力，藝術，或任何善行，為社區做出貢獻的能力。

讓我舉個例子向你們說明這個禮物是如何的美麗和驚人。看看我們教堂前面的整修工程。我邀請了幾個專業的承包商估價。一個說大約要一百萬美元左右，另一個說也許四十萬可以成就。於是我就將這件工程交給了幾位教友。他們愛慕天主，敬愛教會，並且也正在為教堂做其他的工程。結果我們花費了不到 10 萬美元就完成了。這都是因為主的弟兄貢獻了他們的能力，向善良的天主說“是”，我的能力是天主給的禮物，是將它收齊，奉獻給天主感恩的時刻了。我心想回饋，願意奉獻，分享，與大家一起美化我們的教堂。不是我個人，而是天主交托給我們所有人的使命。這就是第二個教導。親愛的兄弟姐妹們，反省一下我們從天主那裡獲得的和學習到的禮物，將它們拿出來與人分享。任何禮物，不論是天賦的或是由人贈與的，如果不拿出來分享，這個禮物就失去它的功能，沒有任何的價值了。

第三個指示是我們應該從福音中學習並應用到生活中。親愛的兄弟姐妹們，現在是我們應該透過信仰和基督的眼光來看生命的時刻了。在這眼光下，金錢，名譽再也不是生命的目標。透過信仰和基督的眼光，生命和地位都是禮物。作為一位正義的管家，我們要學會透過主人的眼睛來看東西。我們觀察和學習主人要我們做的事情。我們有一位好師父，我們的主是良善心謙的，充滿了驚人的慈愛和寬恕。相信祂！將自己的生命託付給祂。我們願意成為一名正義的管家。這是一種新的生活方式，將所有的一切都視為禮物的生活方式。因此，我們以主的要求的方式來貢獻和服務，改變生活方式。最後，正如主說的：要用不義的財富來交朋友，所以當你回歸天家時，會有窮人在天堂門口歡迎你。

讓我們成為一名正義的管家，以這種方式度過一生。在我們關心和愛護的人所服務的社區，會有許多生命被我們的慷慨和溫良的照顧所感動，他們也將被接納進入天國。 因此，從今天的福音來學習，應用到我們的生命中，做一位正義的管家來侍奉主。