“The people of this world are much shrewder in handling their affairs than the people who belong to the light.” (Lk 16:8)

 “The people of this world are much shrewder in handling their affairs than the people who belong to the light.” (Lk 16:8)

Today’s Passage: Lk 16:1-8

Meditation: Today’s meditation verse reminds me of Jesus’ another exhortation given to his disciples while they were sent to missionary activities; “Listen! I am sending you out just like sheep to a pack of wolves. You must be as cautious as snakes and as gentle as doves.” (Mt 10:16) In other words, Jesus wants his disciples always be both gentle and cautious. Sometimes, we find people too much gentle but not at all cautious; and at other times too cautious people but not gentle at all. They can’t effectively work for the kingdom of God.

After saying the parable of the unfaithful servant, Jesus observes, “The people of this world are much shrewder in handling their affairs than the people who belong to the light.” (Lk 16:8) If we look around us we see the same reality. Are we able to realize it positively? See the marketing style of the people of this world or their making use of the mass media or social media. I am always astonished by this. How fast and effective they are! It should make us also think; are we really able to communicate the message of the kingdom of God to this contemporary world in an effective manner?

Sometimes, we are much shrewder than the people of this world in handling the affairs of the world. Just observe the functioning of some of our institutions and academies. How flourishing they are! Nevertheless, Jesus wants us to do the affairs of the kingdom in a much better way, without ignoring our duties to our brethren and to this world. How much percentage of our talents and resources actually is made use of for the kingdom of God? Why are we not effective, even in this age, in evangelizing the world? God wishes today; if we were much shrewder in handling the affairs of the kingdom of God than the people of this world. 

   

Prayer:  Lord God, we thank you and praise you for your daily eternal bread. Many a time, we have proved ourselves shrewder than the people of this world in handling the worldly affairs and were also appreciated for it by many. But today we understand somewhere or somehow we went wrong in understanding our priority. We want to come back to you O Lord. Guide us with the help of your Holy Spirit. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen!  

                

Greetings: God is with you! Have a nice and blissful Friday…