Gospel according to Saint 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.”

We are all stewards

Luis CASASUS President of the Idente Missionaries

Rome, September 21, 2025 | XXV Sunday in Ordinary Time

Am 8: 4-7; 1Tim 2: 1-8; Lk 16:1-13

In 1973, an excellent film entitled Papillon was released, based on a successful novel of the same title, written by Henri Charrière, a French sailor and prisoner, accused of a crime he did not commit and sentenced to hard labor for life in the French colonies.

It is a story of Charrière’s ingenious, risky, and continuous escape attempts, whose nickname was precisely Papillon (Butterfly, in French) because of a tattoo he had on his chest. Of course, the protagonist wins over any viewer, not because of his continuous violation of prison rules, but because of his cunning, which overcomes the rules and harsh penal regulations of the prison system of the time.

This can help us understand what Christ means when he recounts the episode of the dishonest steward today.

Praising a person’s cunning does not mean agreeing with everything he did. Christ does not praise the fact that he cheated, but how that steward used ALL the resources he had, his experience, his friendships, his charm… If, on the contrary, he had decided to charge the debtors more than they owed, he would have earned some money, but he would not have secured his future. In fact, he asks himself: When I am expelled from my position, who will welcome me into their home? The tax collectors did not seem so intelligent and forward-thinking, as they charged more than they should have and earned the hatred and enmity of everyone.

The master who had hired this steward ended up praising him (Jesus does not say that he renewed his contract…), which says a lot about the sensitivity and intelligence of this rich man.

In reality, the steward’s cunning is not limited to finding a source of money, but to seeking other more lasting goods, such as a house where he can be welcomed. This requires him to give up immediate benefits, what he could earn in the last weeks of his work. So, paradoxically, this steward is also an example of self-sacrifice. The Master’s conclusion is clear: although money can enslave us, it can also be used to gain the greatest good, an “eternal dwelling place.”

This teaching is truly profound and goes beyond being an instruction on how to manage money. In fact, it does not limit itself to recommending that we “avoid evil” or be patient in the face of adversity, but rather that we ask for the grace to transform our weaknesses or external difficulties into opportunities to do good and give glory to God.

—ooOoo—

Of course, we should not limit ourselves to thinking that we must use the cunning that God gives us to a greater or lesser extent. Once again, we must remember what Jesus said to his disciples:

A branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it remains united to the vine; neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me (Jn 15:4).

Let’s look at a fascinating example from the Old Testament that combines human cunning and divine grace. It is the story of Esther, recounted in the book that bears her name.

Esther, a young Jewish woman, lives in exile in Persia and is chosen as queen without the king knowing her origin. A high official named Haman plots genocide against the Jewish people, getting the king to sign a decree to exterminate them.

Esther, guided by her cousin Mordecai, decides to act with extreme cunning and prudence. Instead of confronting them directly, she organizes two banquets for the king and Haman, winning their favor and creating the perfect atmosphere to reveal the truth. At the second banquet, Esther reveals her Jewish identity and exposes Haman’s plot, leading to his downfall.

Although God’s role is not explicitly mentioned in the story, His Providence is evident: The king cannot sleep one night and reviews the archives, discovering that Mordecai had saved his life. This leads to Mordecai being honored, just before Haman attempts to destroy him. The decree of extermination is reversed, and the Jews are saved. In this way, Esther not only saves her people, but also becomes a symbol of courage, wisdom, and faith.

Her story is celebrated each year on the Jewish holiday of Purim, as a reminder of how God can work through astute and courageous people.

Therefore, it would be very poor to consider today’s readings as a simple social critique of the rich. Of course, most people who reach a high economic level or a position of great political power become more and more ambitious and less sensitive to the pain of those who are so deprived. Unfortunately, this has always been the case, but today’s Gospel challenges us all. Today we must recognize that WE ARE ALL STEWARDS, that we have all been entrusted with a portion of the kingdom, souls that we have sometimes not even bothered to discover.

Reflecting on the tragic events of World War II, philosopher Hannah Arendt coined the term “the banality of evil” to refer to how ordinary people can participate in atrocious acts simply by not reflecting on their actions or their capacity to do good. Not doing evil is not enough. Ignoring the good one can do—out of convenience, fear, or indifference—also has disastrous consequences for the doer and for others. She concluded that evil does not always come from radical wickedness or perverse intentions, but can arise from a lack of thought, indifference, and blind obedience.

Perhaps that is why Martin Luther King said that the greatest tragedy is not the wickedness of the wicked, but the silence of the good. That same impression leads St. Paul to insist to the Christians of Rome: If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.

Therefore, each of us will give an account of himself to God (Rom 14:8,12). In reality, it all begins with the question of the unfaithful steward: What can I do now? It is not simply that he was resourceful, but also thoughtful, considering all the options, all the possibilities of using the means at his disposal for a worthwhile end.

Recognizing one’s own limits without pessimism or pretense is not only a sign of emotional maturity, but also an attitude that disposes us to live a true Recollection, an ascetical life centered on separating the good fish from the useless ones, from what is useless, as Christ describes in the parable of the net. Far from being a simple task, it is one of the first efforts we must make in ascetic prayer, so that dialogue with the Divine Persons is possible.

Saint Paul is a deeply spiritual example of someone who clearly recognizes both his limitations and the talents and graces he has received. He does so without falling into false modesty or arrogance. In the Second Letter to the Corinthians (12:7-10), Paul speaks of “a thorn in the flesh” that was given to him so that he would not become conceited. Although he asked to be freed from it, we all remember God’s response: My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Paul does not hide his fragility, but rather turns it into a place of encounter with God. He recognizes that he cannot do everything, but that does not invalidate him.

On the other hand, in 1 Corinthians (15:10), he acknowledges: By the grace of God, I am what I am; with which he does not attribute personal merit to himself, but neither does he despise himself. He recognizes that he has received gifts, mission, strength… and that all of this comes from God. He does not minimize himself, but places himself with gratitude.

The most sublime example of this maturity, of someone who knows how to look at both his smallness and the grace he has received, is Mary, who in the Magnificat declares: He has looked upon the humility of his servant… from now on all generations will call me blessed.

In professional and academic life, too, there are admirable examples of recognizing one’s own limitations without falling into pessimism or dissimulation, as in the case of Marie Curie (1867-1934), the famous scientist who pioneered the study of radioactivity. Despite her extraordinary achievements, Curie never claimed to know everything or minimized the risks of her work. When she began to notice the harmful effects of radiation on her health, she did not ignore or disguise them. She recognized that there were limits to the scientific knowledge of her time and the protection available, but instead of giving up or dramatizing, she continued to research with as much prudence and rigor as possible.

In fact, many of us CONTRAST our deep interest and remarkable effort in carrying out the tasks that the world imposes on us (as it does on everyone) with a superficial attention to the suggestions of the Spirit. However, the Gospel appreciates the honesty of many people who undoubtedly had their faults but sincerely asked how to use all their resources, even though they thought they were few.

Thus, the people turn to John the Baptist and ask him, What should we do? The listeners to Peter’s speech at Pentecost ask themselves, Brothers, what should we do? It is the question of anyone who is aware that they are facing a decisive choice in their life. The dishonest steward knows that he has little time at his disposal and begins to reflect: I cannot dig, and I am ashamed to beg…

When Jesus recommends today, Make friends with unrighteous money, he is not simply inviting us to have a good and harmonious relationship with people, but to imitate him in his way of understanding friendship. With a friend, we share what is most profound, not only our opinions or preferences, but what we receive from the Divine Persons. That is why he was able to say to his disciples: I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything I have heard from my Father (Jn 15:15).

May this story of the unfaithful steward prompt us to recognize and live with gratitude what we really are: fragile clay pots entrusted with guarding a treasure that is destined to reach our neighbor.

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In the Sacred Hearts of Jesus, Mary and Joseph,

Luis CASASUS

President