September 23, 2007
Father Gary
One stormy night many years ago an elderly couple entered the lobby of a small hotel and asked for a room. The clerk explained that because there were three conventions in town, the hotel was filled. He added, "But I can't send a nice couple like you out in the rain at 1 o'clock in the morning. Would you be willing to sleep in my room?" The couple hesitated, but the clerk insisted. The next morning when the man paid his bill, he told the clerk, "You're the kind of manager who should be the boss of the best hotel in the United States. Maybe someday I'll build one for you." The clerk smiled, amused by the older man's "little joke."
A few years passed. Then one day the clerk received a letter from the elderly man recalling that stormy night and asking him to come to New York for a visit. A round-trip ticket was enclosed. When the clerk arrived, his host took him to the corner of 5th Avenue and 34th Street, where a grand new building stood. "That," explained the elderly man, "is the hotel I have just built for you to manage." "You must be joking," the clerk said. "I most assuredly am not," he replied. "Who--who are you?" stammered the clerk. The man answered, "My name is William Waldorf Astor." That hotel was the original Waldorf-Astoria, one of the most magnificent hotels in New York. The young clerk who became its first manager was George C. Boldt. The story reinforces today’s gospel message: blessings come from prudent action resulting from shrewd thinking.
All three of the readings pertain to the subject of faithful stewardship. Condemning the crooked business practices of the Jewish merchants of Judea, the prophet Amos reminds the Israelites to be faithful to their Covenant with Yahweh by practicing justice and mercy as God’s faithful steward. Amos warns us against making money by any means as the goal of our life. The struggle of keeping God first rather than focusing on work, closing a deal or finishing one more field is something humans have always battled.
Timothy instructs the first century Judeo-Christians to become true stewards of the gospel of Jesus by preaching the “good news” to the pagans and including them in intercessory prayers. Timothy reminds us that Jesus came to save all not just a select few. Thanks be to God for our sake. Timothy also encouraged others to spread the good news and pray for other people. Today we incorporate this practice of the early Church when we offer the Prayers of the Faithful. The prayers are offered for the whole world, for all in need not just this local Church, not just the Universal Church but for all in need of God’s grace.
The gospel challenges us to use our blessings -- time, talents, health and wealth -- wisely and shrewdly so that they will count for our good in all of eternity. We are on the right road only if we use our earthly wealth to attain our heavenly goal.
It is amazing how astute we can be when making business deals. Whether it's buying a car or truck, clipping coupons for groceries or selling a piece of property, all of us learn how to get the most for our money. This is not something new. It's part of human nature to get the best deal possible. Today some even use the skills as bragging rights she or he has a keen business sense or the old fella is true horse trader.
Jesus was aware of this. The parable he told about the steward who had to think quick to get him-self out of a financial jam recognized human ingenuity. Jesus challenges us to use for our best interest no pun intended.
The Lord's point is that we often demonstrate our brainpower, but we don't apply this intelligence to the one thing that really matters: our eternal salvation. Consider the number of times we've sat down and worked out how we can best use our talents to be better Christians. Think about the number of times we've thought out how we can put ourselves in situations which would avoid moral problems we've had in the past. Reflect upon the number of times we've planned out how we can instill the practice of our faith in our families. If we were to add up the minutes spent during a month doing this and compare them to the minutes spent working out our financial deals, would there be any comparison at all?
Christ tells us, "You have the intelligence, use it. Use it to fulfill the mission you assumed when I called you to be my disciples. We must be as resourceful and dedicated in the ways of God as we are in the ways of commerce and politics. Jesus' parable challenges us to be as eager and creative for the sake of God's reign, to be as ready to use our time and money to accomplish great things for the Gospels as we are to secure our own happiness.
Some people, like those in the first reading from the prophet Amos have perfected how they can out smart others. They cheat with their scales. They inflate money. That is not why God gave us intelligence. He gave us intelligence to make his presence real in the world. The cleverness, skill and plain nerve that the manager used, we must use to make God's ways real in our world. Today we ask the Lord to help us to our ingenuity to promote his kingdom.