St Mary's Cathedral
25th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Amos 8:4-7, Tim 2:1-8, Luke 16:1-13
+ Cardinal George Pell, Archbishop of Sydney
23 Sep 2001
It is difficult to judge how different our world will be in the coming years as many or most countries struggle to eliminate terrorist networks, and therefore difficult to assess the danger to our way of life and to many others closer to predictable scenes of action. But the situation is dangerous. More than 6000 innocent people have died already and there will be more deaths. Our prayers for a world where we are able to live religious and reverent lives in peace and quiet are appropriate and necessary. Many types of people realise this. It's no coincidence that all our Churches have been filled as though it was Christmas or Easter.
On the day of the attack I warned against those who would use these evil developments to deepen divisions here in Australia. This is a time to stand together against racial and religious violence. So I condemn the burning of the mosque in Brisbane and my sympathy and support go out to all Muslims and especially those who worshipped there.
However it is important in these times of trouble that life goes on. In North America they are struggling to follow this principle, while we are doing so in Australia much more easily. Today at Mass we have a couple of baptisms, of twins Samantha and Vanessa whose father and brother sing in our choir. I ask you to pray for them too.
And now to the readings of the day; Amos from the Old Testament fiercely denouncing those who cheat and exploit the poor. "The Lord swears it by the pride of Jacob. Never will I forget a single thing you have done."
Our Lord's teachings also touch on that tainted thing, money; very different, Jesus explains, from genuine riches.
He explains very clearly that you cannot be a slave to two masters. Not one of us can be a slave of both God and money.
Some children are more generous than others; some from an early age being careful with their own money, while others are not interested, and spend their pocket money or money from presents as soon as they receive it.
But children are not born mean in any sinful sense. This develops in small steps, through meanness in little things, small acts of dishonesty, until the love of money becomes all consuming. People become secondary and a few would commit many crimes to obtain more money. Even those without much money can go some considerable distance towards becoming slaves of money.
No matter what our level of income, and even when as children with our pocket money, one remedy is to give regularly to some good cause from whatever we have. Every little helps.
The parable today is interesting and controversial. Even a couple of thousand years after they were first uttered, people can differ strongly about their true meaning.
We discussed this parable at Saturday lunch at the Cathedral House and there was no agreement among us priests.
The problem lies in Jesus' commending the actions of the unjust steward. Do we accept this or do we get around it in some way?
One suggestion was that the steward had authority from his boss to remit these debits. But there is no evidence for this as the steward was already in trouble for waste. Another suggestion was that the boss was charging interest on loans, something forbidden by Jewish religious law. Once again there is no evidence for this and the debts were in oil and wheat.
A better point was that finally the master went along with the steward pointing out that money was not of first importance, let alone all important.
But what about the praise of the unjust steward? What did Jesus mean when he said the children of this world are more astute, wiser in dealing with their problems than the children of light?
Our Lord calls us to act now; to repent and believe, to follow him - not to dither and delay. The unjust steward is praised because he knew he was in trouble and did something about it. He did not sit on his tail, doing nothing and hoping against hope.
So with us. We are offered a great prize by Christ. We are commanded to follow. Let us get on with it.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
