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You’ve probably noticed that over the past few Sundays, Our Lord has said some things that are unexpected, even quite surprising, which could catch the casual listener off-guard and send him away, wondering. He has said such things as:
“Many will strive to enter the narrow gate, but few will be strong enough.”
“When you host a lunch or dinner, do not invite your friends.”
“If anyone comes to me without hating his mother or father…”
“There will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents, than over ninety-nine who have no need of repentance.”
Now today, He suggests, “Make friends for yourselves with dishonest wealth.” And looking ahead into the weeks to come, there are a few more odd statements to come. Trained in the rabbinical school of teaching, Our Lord uses such techniques as hyperbole and metaphor in order to pique the interest of His listeners. So, what may sound at first hearing as dour, egregious, or even scandalous, is given to us to get us thinking.
With this in mind, what are we to make of this Parable of “the Crafty Steward”? Jesus was sometimes dismayed that His disciples lacked the will, the determination, or the resources to work as effectively for the Kingdom as non-believers worked for their interests in the world.
While the Lord will sometimes use “bad examples” in His parables, such as the Prodigal Son and his embittered older brother, most of His characters are likable and inspiring, making it easy to see how imitating them would ennoble us. But with today’s parable, the Lord suggests that we imitate a person whose behavior seems shockingly wrong.
Resourcefulness can be admirable, but what about the tactics of the Crafty Steward? Some Scripture scholars suggest that the Steward was wisely deducting only his own commissions, not money that was owed to his Master. Others have contended that he is reducing the unjust, overpriced interest owed to the Master.
Our Lord doesn’t tell us exactly what the Steward is doing, but presents the Master, who is initially outraged that the Steward had played fast and loose with his resources, now commends him for acting “prudently.” Through his maneuvering, the Steward banks a great deal of goodwill for himself for later, when he’ll need it.
It is this initiative that Jesus encourages us to emulate. He wants us to become as proactive with the resources available to us for eternal life, as we are with the resources available to us in this world. It is, of course, the Steward’s prudence, not his dishonesty that the Lord praises. Worldly resources often carry with them temptation to dishonesty. Used wisely, however, these same resources can do much good.
It is said of Saint Teresa of Calcutta, that funds received on a Monday were usually spent or given away by Wednesday. A story is also told of Saint Vincent de Paul who, when questioned about receiving money which the questioner said was tainted, responded, “There’s no money too dirty that the Lord can’t clean it when it’s put to charitable purposes.” The humorist Mark Twain, when once taking questions from college students after a lecture, was told by a student that rich people’s money was tainted. Twain responded, “‘Tainted?’ Well that’s a good word for it, because ‘taint mine, ‘taint yours, and ‘taint the government’s.”
And so, to take initiative in other-worldly things, Saint Paul, in his Letter to Timothy, makes this suggestion: “First of all I ask that supplications and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings be offered for everyone… that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life in all devotion and dignity. This is good and pleasing to God.”