SET A THIEF TO CATCH A THIEF

In the Gospel Text of the 25th Sunday (tomorrow’s) after having read and digested the account narrated by Luke, we would have expected Christ to speak differently from what is recorded. I mean, how is He commending the behaviour of the administrator, He should have told His Apostles: “Do not behave like this villain, be honest.” Instead He approved his behaviour.

But we reason this way because we will be missing something very important. This is one of the reasons why the Holy Scripture cannot be read and interpreted by the man in the street, without having a thorough study and scholarship on the subject... a delicate subject. The reason why we should accept the Church’s authority on this point.

The reason for the master’s behaviour, likewise, should be given some deep thought. If the master praised his administrator, though he was conscious of having cheated him quite an amount, this proves that the master was very reasonable. Yes, his administrator was clever, we have to admit it, just as the master has, but, it follows that dealing with a ‘clever’ chap one has to handle with great care.

And that is just what the master did. With great calm he accepted to forfeit part of his ‘great’ margin of profit ... as it was shared by his cheating administrator, and played it ‘cool’. The admiration of the owner and the praise of Jesus have a logical explanation. The administrator was shrewd—according to Jesus—because he understood the value of priorities: not on goods, products that he was entitled to, that could rot or be stolen, but on friends. He chose to renounce the first in order to gain for himself the second. This is the point.

Some of Christ’s sayings are directly linked to the use of riches in this particular parable. These should be applications,teachings taken from the parable. The first: “The people of this world are more astute, in dealing with their own kind, than are the people of light” (v. 8).

Yes, Christ has admired, appreciated the astuteness, or ability of the administrator, but what is more important is His remark, observation regarding riches and money-management

After having appreciated the ability of the administrator, Jesus makes an observation: with regards to money-management or doing business. His disciples (the children of light) are less cunning than those who commit their whole lives in hoarding goods (the children of darkness). The administrator is a model of ability because he had a brilliant idea. If he had to consult his business-colleagues, they would encourage him to take more advantage.

St. Ambrose used to say: “We must not consider riches that which we cannot carry with us because that which we should leave behind in this world does not belong to us. It belongs to others.”

God and mammon; they don’t tolerate that there could be a place for another in the heart of man. Above all, they give opposing orders. God says “Share your goods, help the brothers and sisters, forgive the debt of the poor…” The other says: Think of your own interests, nobody helps you in life, you have to help yourself, hoard money, have all for yourself….” In our heart there is only a place for one.

The decision is YOURS, and YOURS alone.