If you read today's gospel, you might find yourself either saying, "I don't understand!", or "Something is missing from this event in Jesus' life." Why this kind of response? Because the words of the great healer seem so contrary to his usual messages. There is much below the surface here that speaks of the generosity and love of Jesus for all God's living creations we call human beings.
Jesus' words are clearly words of praise for a steward for his accounting procedures for his master's financial resources. Most would consider the stewards actions as nothing other than "fixing the books." Today we so often read in our newspapers about people who have embezzled or stolen their bosses' founds. Strange are these words from Jesus: "For children of this world are more prudent in dealing with their own generation than are the children of the light." You might wonder whether Jesus understands that the steward was "squandering" the bosses' funds. Such is a behavior most would not recommend then or now.
For Luke the event is much more than questionable activity. Jesus is taking this shady dealing and the master's reactions and Jesus' reflection on it as a teaching about the kingdom of God! What? What is going on? Jesus is using the story to teach several realities, the value of money being one item. It calls to mind the master who felt he needed bigger silos to store his grain, the source of his wealth. He was hoarding the grain for no other purpose than having more money. There was no concern for the needy, the hungry, the poor. God gave us treasure not solely for ourselves but for us to share with others. In the case of this crafty steward Jesus sees what money can become: an instrument to help others. A cup of honey draws more bees than does a cup of vinegar. Strange, too, is the fact that the master comes to agree with the crafty steward. He sense a kind of satisfaction in helping those who owed him money while securing a good portion of what was owed to him. Clearly the master saw how is steward's actions would be a cause of strengthening his own reputation among others.
Now the real stopper in this story is this: take an accounting of your own sins, your own actions that might bring you to God with the words "forgive me." Have you ever stopped to consider how many instances are recorded in the new testament where Jesus forgives others. Like those in the gospel stories who need forgiveness, we stand before our God at times asking that Jesus "fix" our books that record our life's activities. We do so with the hope that Jesus will continue to "squander" the gift of God's mercy on us. Each time we confess our sins are we not like debtors in the gospel story, hoping that our record will be fixed to allow us a place in God's kingdom?
You have heard Jesus death on the cross referred to as the "scandal of the cross." Isn't this "fixing" of things by Jesus' promise of forgiveness the true scandal of the cross?
