September 21, 2025
Luke 16: 1-13
“You cannot serve both God and mammon.”
Today’s Gospel (Luke 16:1-13) reflects on the behavior of the wealthy man, his steward and the wealthy man’s debtors. This is a familiar parable whose basic themes often appear in the Gospels when describing the Kingdom of God.
Today, a “money or wealth manager” is a substitute for a steward. Most recently, various wealth manager type firms have been advertising on the 6 pm news. Some claim “our fees are structured so that we do better when our clients do better.” And others offer a get rich quick deals that are “too good to be true.”
In this parable, when his master’s clients/debtors complained, the wealth manager is fired: “You can no longer be my steward.”
- Did the manager choose to be greedy for his boss or himself?
- Did the manager mis-read his boss’ intentions as a just or fair man?
Key points:
- We are managers, not owners — All resources are entrusted to us by God.
- Wealth is a test — Faithfulness in small things prepares us for greater trust in God.
- Mammon is a rival master — It competes for our loyalty, offering empty promises.
- Wise planning is good — Jesus calls us to be shrewd, but for realizing the Kingdom of God not for selfish gain.
- We must choose — You cannot serve both God and wealth.
Since “you cannot serve both God and mammon,” what might a “God-centered” approach look like?
- Reject the culture of greed (Laudato Si’) — Resist consumerism and overconsumption.
- Build an economy of inclusion (Fratelli Tutti) — Use resources to uplift the poor and protect creation.
- Invest in the Kingdom — Prioritize mercy, justice, and solidarity over accumulation.
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Which of the three “God-centered” approaches appeal to you?
Which is the most important for your community, family, self?
Luke 16: 1-13
Jesus said to his disciples, “A rich man had a steward who was reported to him for squandering his property. He summoned him and said, ‘What is this I hear about you? Prepare a full account of your stewardship, because you can no longer be my steward.’ The steward said to himself, ‘What shall I do, now that my master is taking the position of steward away from me? I am not strong enough to dig and I am ashamed to beg. I know what I shall do so that, when I am removed from the stewardship, they may welcome me into their homes.’ He called in his master’s debtors one by one. To the first he said, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ He replied, ‘One hundred measures of olive oil.’ He said to him, ‘Here is your promissory note. Sit down and quickly write one for fifty.’ Then to another the steward said, ‘And you, how much do you owe?’ He replied, ‘One hundred kors of wheat.’ The steward said to him, ‘Here is your promissory note; write one for eighty.’ And the master commended that dishonest steward for acting prudently.”
“For the children of this world are more prudent in dealing with their own generation than are the children of light. I tell you, make friends for yourselves with dishonest wealth, so that when it fails, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings. The person who is trustworthy in very small matters is also trustworthy in great ones; and the person who is dishonest in very small matters is also dishonest in great ones. If, therefore, you are not trustworthy with dishonest wealth, who will trust you with true wealth? If you are not trustworthy with what belongs to another, who will give you what is yours? No servant can serve two masters. He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and mammon.”
Meet Sister Angele Lewis, SNDdeN
