Circles, prejudices and moggies, or the Light of ch'i

(Lk 8:16-18)

There is light and Light. There is pomp that shines artificially, and substantial sumptuousness of Life. 

One of the differences between sectarianism and the proposition of Faith is that the teaching of the Risen One is not a mystery accessible only to initiates, or mannerists and strongmen.

It has nothing to do with lengthy disciplines of the arcane, which normally direct thought and weigh the candidate's voluntarism.

In his commentary on the Tao Tê Ching (ii), Master Ho-shang Kung states that 'The original ch'i gives life to all creatures and does not take possession of them': it does not go backwards, it does not bestow the ancient, retrogressive and fixed order, it does not run for cover; rather, it gives a charge - not partial, but vital and enlightening.

Understanding and assimilating the Word of God that calls in the first person injects a fundamental, extreme and regenerating energy. Capable of creating new life and imparting a sense that is not bland and cowardly to our affairs.

In the Relationship of Faith, Listening and internalisation make an incessant, intimate appeal; in tune with our deep identity-essence and personal vocation.

Perception and following of the soul free us from the influence of short, external, conditioning thoughts.

They convey a kind of immediate and vital possession of things, an energetic cognition that leads to realisation; anticipating and attracting future.

When the gospel remains confined within circles, it does not make the whole community shine, it does not communicate with real life; whereas it would like to give it and gladden it, in the friendship with our character and eternal side it develops.

Ever since we were children, it seemed to us that Word and custom were one and the same: a kind of active Logos, fused with any manifestations of religiosity - especially in the West.

It seemed spontaneous, safe, unquestionable, growing up in an atmosphere of unity of thought... until we perhaps discovered that some customs and fashions fear the Light.

Today, in fact, we realise that even self-styled alternative thinking, if it is too grand, schematic and disembodied, avoids confronting the 'low'.

On the contrary, it willingly confines itself to elite clubs of its own; disconnected from the crude reality - considered vile, unrefined [unsophisticated]. Which is not worth sifting through in itself.

But the Gifts that God bestows do not bear being delimited by a "vase" (v.16), nor 'measured' by any "bushel" (Mt 5:15; Mk 4:21), or put in a hole, concealed: they serve only to edify and illuminate.

Heaven's treasures are to be bestowed, transmitted, communicated, not withheld; otherwise a swampy mediocrity [from "under a bed": v.16] is unleashed, which neither instructs nor enlightens.

So beware of prejudices (v.18): listening is not neutral action.

Popular expectations of the Messiah, victor, avenger, self-sufficient... prevented people from understanding the Announcement of the Kingdom and of the Father who loves luxuriant life.

The ancient idea of an established King has perhaps inclined us to consider the Face of the Eternal in the Crucified One as a parenthesis, soon to be overcome by the triumph and the settlement [of the Church, implanted and visible].

Conversely, the Son's wounds of love describe in fullness a different constant figure; outstretched - thus paradoxical - but profound.

In this way, everyone has their own affective aptitude and skills, all to be explored and put into play without limits... so that they may be shared, made sapiential and propulsive.

As Pope Francis declared:

"The inability of experts to see the signs of the times is due to the fact that they are closed in their system; they know what can and cannot be done, and they stay safe there. Let us ask ourselves: am I only open to my own things and my own ideas, or am I open to the God of surprises?"

A great Roman parish priest used to tell me that one of the things that had struck him in his travels in the US was seeing too many Catholic citadels on hilltops, clearly visible to the eye but just as obviously equipped with everything - therefore detached, able to fend for themselves, closed to the real urban life of today.

A diametrically opposed approach to that of evangelical community realities, less conspicuous [without the pretension of attracting by external beauty] inasmuch as they are blended into the fabric of the city; for this reason capable of shedding light on the implications of the daily life of people in search of a personal and real relationship with God the Father.

In short (v.18): anyone who updates, confronts, takes an interest and makes a contribution, sees his or her human and spiritual wealth grow and flourish.

This is - at best - by remaining true to oneself and avoiding being overwhelmed by the routine of fixed-homologised thinking and the travails of the counter-exodus.

No one will be surprised that the situations of cultural rearguard, or stagnant - drained, exhausted, grey and boring; or à la page and glitzy but confusing - suffer further downturns and finally perish without leaving regrets.

In spite of their artificial [useless] showiness, they will remain dependent on what is valued already. And they will increasingly seek external approval in vain.

Let us rather learn to observe ourselves, relationships, situations, without prejudice; leaving 'filters', 'measurements', in the background.

We will recognise in ourselves the most authentic resources, and the spontaneous echo of the divine Word.

We’ll turn on the unseen, the unique and immense, personal side; our singular and plural beauty.

To internalise and live the message:

How do you propose to ignite your eternal side, and your singular and plural beauty?

Lumen Fidei

1. The light of faith: with this expression, the tradition of the Church has indicated the great gift brought by Jesus, who, in the Gospel of John, presents himself as follows: "I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me should not remain in darkness" (John 12:46). St Paul also expresses himself in these terms: "And God, who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness', shines in our hearts" (2 Cor 4:6). In the pagan world, hungry for light, the worship of the Sun god, Sol invictus, had developed. Although the sun was reborn every day, it was well understood that it was incapable of radiating its light over the whole of man's existence. For the sun does not illuminate all reality, its ray is incapable of reaching as far as the shadow of death, where the human eye closes to its light. 'Because of his faith in the sun,' says Saint Justin Martyr, 'no one has ever been ready to die. Aware of the great horizon that faith opened to them, Christians called Christ the true sun, "whose rays give life". To Martha, who weeps for the death of her brother Lazarus, Jesus says: "Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?" (Jn 11:40). Whoever believes, sees; sees with a light that illuminates the whole way, because it comes to us from the risen Christ, the morning star that does not set.

An illusory light?

2. Yet in speaking of this light of faith, we can hear the objection of so many of our contemporaries. In modern times, it was thought that such a light might suffice for ancient societies, but was of no use for the new times, for the man who had become an adult, proud of his reason, eager to explore the future in a new way. In this sense, faith appeared as an illusory light, preventing man from cultivating the audacity of knowledge. The young Nietzsche invited his sister Elisabeth to take risks, to tread "new paths..., in the uncertainty of autonomous progress". And he added: 'At this point the paths of humanity separate: if you want to achieve peace of soul and happiness, then have faith, but if you want to be a disciple of truth, then investigate'. Belief is opposed to seeking. From here, Nietzsche would develop his criticism of Christianity for diminishing the scope of human existence, taking novelty and adventure away from life. Faith would then be like an illusion of light that impedes our path as free men towards tomorrow.

3. In this process, faith ended up being associated with darkness. It was thought that it could be preserved, that a space could be found for it to coexist with the light of reason. The space for faith opened up where reason could not illuminate, where man could no longer have certainty. Faith was then understood as a leap into the void that we make for lack of light, driven by a blind feeling; or as a subjective light, perhaps capable of warming the heart, of bringing private consolation, but which cannot offer itself to others as an objective and common light to illuminate the path. Little by little, however, it has become apparent that the light of autonomous reason cannot sufficiently illuminate the future; in the end, it remains in its darkness and leaves man in fear of the unknown. And so man has given up the search for a great light, for a great truth, to be content with small lights that illuminate the brief moment, but are incapable of opening the way. When light is missing, everything becomes confused, it is impossible to distinguish good from evil, the road that leads to the goal from the one that makes us walk in repetitive, directionless circles.

A light to be rediscovered

4. There is therefore an urgent need to recover the character of light proper to faith, because when its flame is extinguished, all other lights also lose their vigour. Indeed, the light of faith possesses a singular character, being capable of illuminating the whole of human existence. For a light to be so powerful, it cannot proceed from ourselves, it must come from a more original source, it must ultimately come from God. Faith is born in the encounter with the living God, who calls us and reveals his love to us, a love that precedes us and on which we can stand firm and build life. Transformed by this love we receive new eyes, we experience that there is a great promise of fullness in it, and a glimpse of the future opens up to us. Faith, which we receive from God as a supernatural gift, appears as a light for the road, a light that directs our path through time. On the one hand, it proceeds from the past, it is the light of a founding memory, that of Jesus' life, where his fully trustworthy love, capable of conquering death, was manifested. At the same time, however, because Christ is risen and draws us beyond death, faith is light that comes from the future, that opens up before us great horizons, and takes us beyond our isolated 'I' towards the breadth of communion. We understand then that faith does not dwell in darkness; that it is a light for our darkness. Dante, in the Divine Comedy, after having confessed his faith before St Peter, describes it as a 'spark, / that expands into flame then lively / and like a star in heaven in me sparkles'. It is precisely of this light of faith that I would like to speak, so that it may grow to illuminate the present until it becomes a star that shows the horizons of our journey, at a time when man is particularly in need of light.

[Lumen Fidei]

At Easter, on the morning of the first day of the week, God said once again: “Let there be light”. The night on the Mount of Olives, the solar eclipse of Jesus’ passion and death, the night of the grave had all passed. Now it is the first day once again – creation is beginning anew. “Let there be light”, says God, “and there was light”: Jesus rises from the grave. Life is stronger than death. Good is stronger than evil. Love is stronger than hate. Truth is stronger than lies. The darkness of the previous days is driven away the moment Jesus rises from the grave and himself becomes God’s pure light. But this applies not only to him, not only to the darkness of those days. With the resurrection of Jesus, light itself is created anew. He draws all of us after him into the new light of the resurrection and he conquers all darkness. He is God’s new day, new for all of us.

But how is this to come about? How does all this affect us so that instead of remaining word it becomes a reality that draws us in? Through the sacrament of baptism and the profession of faith, the Lord has built a bridge across to us, through which the new day reaches us. The Lord says to the newly-baptized: Fiat lux – let there be light. God’s new day – the day of indestructible life, comes also to us. Christ takes you by the hand. From now on you are held by him and walk with him into the light, into real life. For this reason the early Church called baptism photismos – illumination.

Why was this? The darkness that poses a real threat to mankind, after all, is the fact that he can see and investigate tangible material things, but cannot see where the world is going or whence it comes, where our own life is going, what is good and what is evil. The darkness enshrouding God and obscuring values is the real threat to our existence and to the world in general. If God and moral values, the difference between good and evil, remain in darkness, then all other “lights”, that put such incredible technical feats within our reach, are not only progress but also dangers that put us and the world at risk. Today we can illuminate our cities so brightly that the stars of the sky are no longer visible. Is this not an image of the problems caused by our version of enlightenment? With regard to material things, our knowledge and our technical accomplishments are legion, but what reaches beyond, the things of God and the question of good, we can no longer identify. Faith, then, which reveals God’s light to us, is the true enlightenment, enabling God’s light to break into our world, opening our eyes to the true light.

[Pope Benedict, Easter Vigil 7 April 2012]

Jesus Christ, the true light that enlightens everyone

1. Called to salvation through faith in Jesus Christ, "the true light that enlightens everyone" (Jn 1:9), people become "light in the Lord" and "children of light" (Eph 5:8), and are made holy by "obedience to the truth" (1 Pet 1:22).

This obedience is not always easy. As a result of that mysterious original sin, committed at the prompting of Satan, the one who is "a liar and the father of lies" (Jn 8:44), man is constantly tempted to turn his gaze away from the living and true God in order to direct it towards idols (cf. 1 Thes 1:9), exchanging "the truth about God for a lie" (Rom 1:25). Man's capacity to know the truth is also darkened, and his will to submit to it is weakened. Thus, giving himself over to relativism and scepticism (cf. Jn 18:38), he goes off in search of an illusory freedom apart from truth itself.

But no darkness of error or of sin can totally take away from man the light of God the Creator. In the depths of his heart there always remains a yearning for absolute truth and a thirst to attain full knowledge of it. This is eloquently proved by man's tireless search for knowledge in all fields. It is proved even more by his search for the meaning of life. The development of science and technology, this splendid testimony of the human capacity for understanding and for perseverance, does not free humanity from the obligation to ask the ultimate religious questions. Rather, it spurs us on to face the most painful and decisive of struggles, those of the heart and of the moral conscience.

2. No one can escape from the fundamental questions: What must I do? How do I distinguish good from evil? The answer is only possible thanks to the splendour of the truth which shines forth deep within the human spirit, as the Psalmist bears witness: "There are many who say: 'O that we might see some good! Let the light of your face shine on us, O Lord' " (Ps 4:6).

The light of God's face shines in all its beauty on the countenance of Jesus Christ, "the image of the invisible God" (Col 1:15), the "reflection of God's glory" (Heb 1:3), "full of grace and truth" (Jn 1:14). Christ is "the way, and the truth, and the life" (Jn 14:6). Consequently the decisive answer to every one of man's questions, his religious and moral questions in particular, is given by Jesus Christ, or rather is Jesus Christ himself, as the Second Vatican Council recalls: "In fact,it is only in the mystery of the Word incarnate that light is shed on the mystery of man. For Adam, the first man, was a figure of the future man, namely, of Christ the Lord. It is Christ, the last Adam, who fully discloses man to himself and unfolds his noble calling by revealing the mystery of the Father and the Father's love".

Jesus Christ, the "light of the nations", shines upon the face of his Church, which he sends forth to the whole world to proclaim the Gospel to every creature (cf. Mk 16:15). Hence the Church, as the People of God among the nations, while attentive to the new challenges of history and to mankind's efforts to discover the meaning of life, offers to everyone the answer which comes from the truth about Jesus Christ and his Gospel. The Church remains deeply conscious of her "duty in every age of examining the signs of the times and interpreting them in the light of the Gospel, so that she can offer in a manner appropriate to each generation replies to the continual human questionings on the meaning of this life and the life to come and on how they are related".

[Pope John Paul II, Veritatis Splendor]

Jesus uses the metaphors of salt and light, and his words are directed to the disciples of every age, therefore also to us.

Jesus invites us to be a reflection of his light, by witnessing with good works. He says: “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (v. 16). These words emphasize that we are recognizable as true disciples of the One who is the Light of the World, not in words, but by our works. Indeed, it is above all our behaviour that — good or bad — leaves a mark on others. Therefore, we have a duty and a responsibility towards the gift received: the light of the faith, which is in us through Christ and the action of the Holy Spirit; and we must not withhold it as if it were our property. Instead we are called to make it shine throughout the world, to offer it to others through good works. How much the world needs the light of the Gospel which transforms, heals and guarantees salvation to those who receive it! We must convey this light through our good works.

The light of our faith, in giving of oneself, does not fade but strengthens. However it can weaken if we do not nourish it with love and with charitable works. In this way the image of light complements that of salt. The Gospel passage, in fact, tells us that, as disciples of Christ, we are also “the salt of the earth” (v. 13). Salt is an ingredient which, while it gives flavour, keeps food from turning and spoiling — in Jesus’ time there were no refrigerators! Thus, Christians’ mission in society is that of giving “flavour” to life with the faith and the love that Christ has given us, and at the same time, keeping away the contaminating seeds of selfishness, envy, slander, and so on. These seeds degrade the fabric of our communities, which should instead shine as places of welcome, solidarity and reconciliation. To fulfil this mission, it is essential that we first free ourselves from the corruptive degeneration of worldly influences contrary to Christ and to the Gospel; and this purification never ends, it must be done continuously; it must be done every day!

Each one of us is called to be light and salt, in the environment of our daily life, persevering in the task of regenerating the human reality in the spirit of the Gospel and in the perspective of the Kingdom of God. May there always be the helpful protection of Mary Most Holy, first disciple of Jesus and model for believers who live their vocation and mission each day in history. May our Mother help us to let ourselves always be purified and enlightened by the Lord, so as to become, in our turn, “salt of the earth” and “light of the world”.

[Pope Francis, Angelus 5 February 2017]

Christian shrewdness: sense of duty and of the fair 'Master'

(Lk 16:1-13)

In «The death of Peregrinus» [De morte Peregrini, 13] the irreverent Lucian of Samosata, polemist of second century - expresses himself as follows towards Christians:

«Their first Legislator persuades them that they are all brothers among themselves, and, as they convert, denying the Greek Gods, they adore that “wise” Crucifix, and live according to his laws. For wich they despise all goods equally and believe them as common and do not care when they have them. Therefore if among them arose a shrewd impostor who knew how to handle them well, immediately he would become rich, mocking these gullible and silly people».

Even more so than private individuals, ecclesial society manages goods for itself that are common, sacred and not exclusive.

But a responsible, community leader [cf. v.14], is accused of taking advantage of his position as administrator of the goods of God and the church.

The Torah, the specific regulations and all the official customs of the ancient East prohibited asking for interest on supplies (or loans) of foodstuffs.

However, under the counter the landowners relied on blackmail. Withholding undue and lavish compensation, on transactions.

Then the "opportunist" puts the right evaluation into play: he recalculates and aligns accountings - renouncing the illicit income he had hoped to enjoy firsthand.

Although used to going head-on in society, the old man finally chooses not to continue stubbornly in scaming of the percentages in addition, which were not due to him.

He seizes the opportunity that presents itself on his way. This is the point that Lk emphasizes. And he promptly decides not to continue to corrupt himself and others: valid option.

He’s therefore praised (v.8) because he realizes another possibility. And he does it with fair ‘cunning’, this time not random.

Spiritual Way has a raw crossroads: to ask oneself whether to start again in the style of accumulation-and-withhold, or to focus on the quality of relationships.

Excellent work of the Faith in ecclesial experience - and threshold of joy - is to transform resources into Life and Relationship.

In short, a spiritualism of sentimental character is not enough. We must heal the budgets and avoid the internal business groups [cf. v.14].

Justice and the universal destination of goods are not mere additions, the meaning of which can be blurred.

Once the truth has been restored, here is a beautiful method to «purify» even the unfair wealth: to use it for the recipients.

Despite mistakes that can be made - we may always impose on ourself a decisive turn.

In short, the fullness of the God’s Kingdom is realized through Encounter, and goods make sense as a possibility of human development (vv.9-13).

Therefore, spiritual guides must be the first witnesses of this social, humanizing and divine function.

They are called upon to dispose of common resources in a way that’s neither cheerful nor carefree, but with a strong sense of responsibility - without any shadow.

[25th Sunday in O.T. (year C),  September 21, 2025]

The right choice, in small and large matters

Lk 16:1-13 (1-15)

Christian astuteness: a sense of duty and of the right 'master'

(Lk 16:1-8)

We ask ourselves: is there another way of life, beyond the habit of asserting oneself in all circumstances? What causes so much friction without end or criteria, even in times of submission? What is the solution for building a common home? And what is the first concrete step for the future?

Luke speaks very clearly, crafting a catechesis probably drawn from a real-life experience that marked the environment of believers.

'Whoever is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much; and whoever is dishonest in a very little thing is dishonest also in much' (Luke 16:10).

In "The Death of Peregrine" [De morte Peregrini, 13], the irreverent Lucian of Samosata, a polemicist of the second century, expresses himself thus with regard to Christians:

"Their first Lawgiver persuades them that they are all brothers to one another, and as they convert, renouncing the Greek gods, they worship that wise Crucified One and live according to his laws. For this reason, they despise all possessions equally and believe them to be common, and they do not care about them when they have them. Therefore, if a shrewd impostor arose among them who knew how to handle them well, he would immediately become rich, mocking these gullible and foolish people."

Let us hypothesise the situation, probably referring to a veteran of the Judeo-Christian circle [considered in the Gospels to be that of the 'Pharisees' returning to the assemblies of the early days] (cf. Lk 16:14).

A community leader [cf. v. 14] is accused of profiting from his position as administrator of God's and the church's assets.

The Torah, specific regulations and all the official customs of the ancient East prohibited charging interest on supplies (or loans) of foodstuffs.

But in fact, behind the scenes, landowners resorted to blackmail. They withheld undue and lavish compensation on transactions.

The percentage of skimming depended on the ability to scrutinise needs and raise interest rates - even on wheat, oil and staple foods.

Even the church coordinator had allowed himself to be seduced by the prevailing malpractice, for easy gain (on the hunger of the people).

Having turned a deaf ear for a long time, the scandal emerges (among leaders and groups that boast the name Christian!).

The prominent man was cornered for a transparent account.

Then the 'caught' man chose to recalculate and align the accounts - renouncing the illicit income he had hoped to enjoy for himself.

Everything should have been made available to the faithful and for the common good, without any shady dealings (unchecked, as usual).

Although accustomed to holding his head high in society, the man finally chooses not to stubbornly continue with the incurable deception of additional quotas that were not his due.

God's treasures are to be shared, without private surcharges - so he avoids grasping at straws, pirouetting, seeking the support of accomplices or consortia [cf. v.14] and groups of cronies.

He seizes the opportunity that presents itself on his path. This is the point that Luke emphasises. And he promptly decides not to continue corrupting himself and others: a valid option.

Things are obvious, and he does not offer the kind of explanations - as unfortunately happens - that perpetuate and degenerate the situation.

He is therefore praised (v. 8) because instead of returning to feed himself and his entourage... he realises there is another possibility.

There is an Elsewhere to be perceived here; with far-sighted inner tension and fair 'shrewdness', this time not random.

The spiritual path has a stark crossroads: to ask oneself whether to start again in the style of accumulation and retention, or to focus on the quality of relationships.

No more intimidation such as: 'You don't know who I am'; 'You don't know who and how many we are' - and attempts clinging to self-interest.

No more tricks to hide and destructive subterfuges for cheerful administrative management: better to disfigure oneself personally than to be an active and silent accomplice of another 'god' (the one who gives orders contrary to the Father's advice).

An excellent work of Faith in the ecclesial experience – and the threshold of joy – is to transform resources into Life and Relationship.

This is our Guide for tomorrow and for happiness, always.

Justice and the universal destination of goods are not simple additions to devout behaviour, the meaning of which can be blurred - even where community assets are the preserve of those who have their hands and feet everywhere: cliques with good manners and bad habits.

There is another fruitfulness and functionality to the easy profits of old: not those of the liberal economy and private property, but of free Friendship, which does not hold back - the ability to recreate balance where there is none; to cultivate equality and transparency, happiness and widespread life.Sentimental spiritualism is not enough. We need to balance the books.

Once the truth has been re-established, without looking to any leading actors, 'playmates' or pressure groups, here is a good way to 'purify' even unequal wealth: use it for its intended recipients.

It is the only fair assessment, which destroys malpractice and the very strange competition between poor people without dowries and with their heads down, who seem destined only to fry.

We are called upon to use 'our' energies and resources to expand everyone's existence, instead of continuing to fight and squabble to show who is in charge.

This is - despite the mistakes that may be made - the decisive turning point for a beautiful life.

In short, the fullness of the Kingdom of God is realised through encounter, and goods have meaning as possibilities for human development (cf. vv. 9-13).

In the encyclical Fratelli Tutti, we read in no. 120:

'Christian tradition has never recognised the right to private property as absolute or untouchable, and has emphasised the social function of any form of private property. The principle of the common use of goods created for all is the first principle of the entire ethical-social order; it is a natural, original and priority right. All other rights to goods necessary for the integral fulfilment of persons, including private property and any other, must therefore not hinder, but rather facilitate, its realisation [...] The right to private property can only be considered a secondary natural right, derived from the principle of the universal destination of created goods, and this has very concrete consequences that must be reflected in the functioning of society. However, it often happens that secondary rights take precedence over primary and original rights, depriving them of practical relevance.

This basic right knows no boundaries, and the same applies to the functioning of ecclesial society - neither co-opted nor occult.

Even more so than private individuals, it must be accountable without tricks: it manages assets that are common, varied, sacred and non-exclusive.

Church leaders are the first to be called upon to overcome the unilateral nature of their role and resources, which should not be managed as if they were selective property or reserved clubs.

Therefore, spiritual leaders must be the first witnesses of this social, humanising and divine function.

They are called upon to dispose of resources in a way that is not cheerful and carefree, but with a keen sense of responsibility - without any shadow of doubt.

'Renzo gladly embraced this opinion; Lucia approved it; and Agnese, proud of having given it, lifted the poor animals one by one from the stable, gathered their eight legs together as if making a bouquet of flowers, wrapped them and tied them with string, and handed them to Renzo; who, having exchanged words of hope, left through the garden so as not to be seen by the children, who would have run after him shouting: 'The groom! The groom! Thus, crossing the fields or, as they say there, the places, he went along the lanes, trembling, thinking back on his misfortune and ruminating on what he would say to Dr. Azzecca-garbugli. I leave it to the reader to imagine how those poor animals must have fared on their journey, tied up and held by their legs, upside down, in the hands of a man who, agitated by so many passions, accompanied his thoughts, which were tumultuous in his mind, with gestures. Now he stretched out his arm in anger, now he raised it in despair, now he waved it in the air, as if in threat, and in every way he gave them fierce jolts and made those four dangling heads jump; meanwhile, they tried to peck at each other, as too often happens among companions in misfortune. [The Betrothed, chapter 3].

To internalise and live the message:

In your community, is the administration of assets public, regular and transparent, or is it chronically the preserve of individuals and groups without control?

Honest administrators - at various levels - and the common home

Mammona in small and large matters

(Lk 16:9-15)

'Ultimately,' says Jesus, 'you must decide: "You cannot serve both God and mammon" (Lk 16:13). Mammon is a term of Phoenician origin that evokes economic security and success in business; we could say that wealth is the idol to which everything is sacrificed in order to achieve material success, and thus this economic success becomes a person's true god. A fundamental decision is therefore necessary" [Pope Benedict, homily in Velletri, 23 September 2007].

The church leader who was "caught" taking advantage of the community's assets (vv. 1-8) knew how to make grand speeches - perhaps instrumental ones - about the need for solidarity, but he did not live out concrete fraternity.

Here, then, is a catechesis from Luke on fidelity in small and great things: a very timely teaching. Even today, there is no shortage of leaders who make grand proclamations... which are widely heard, but only to give themselves an air of importance.

Providing concrete help and risking one's life - putting one hand on one's conscience and one in one's wallet - unfortunately remains a difficult and rare thing.

Many find nothing better than to turn their heads away and dodge the issue, delegating blame and responsibility to 'the system', to the current crisis, etc. - not without concrete reasons or grounds.

Instead, as Pope Francis' social encyclical emphasises, a more just world is a 'laborious, artisanal' work (FT n.217).

'And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous mammon, so that when it fails, they may receive you into the eternal tents.

He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much; and he who is unrighteous in a very little thing is unrighteous also in much.

If then you have not been faithful with the unjust mammon, who will entrust you with the true [wealth]?

And if you have not been faithful with another's [wealth], who will give you your own?" (Lk 16:9-12).

In the evangelist's intention, the particular story alluded to in the preceding verses was intended to serve as a concrete example for his small communities on the use of material goods.

After a mistake that even leaders can make, even unjust wealth can be put to good use for the benefit of all - to create on earth that climate of serene vitality that is indestructible, which is a trait and attribute of the divine condition.

In the authentic Church, the poor - oppressed, degraded, impoverished and made destitute by a competitive society - rediscover esteem, hope and the will to live, with the simple help of brothers and sisters who are equally needy.

In fact, all communities originally arose among the poor. Little by little, the wealthy also began to appear.

It seemed like a great opening to God's future; instead, as time passed, there was a growing insensitivity and closed-heartedness among the new wealthy classes and in the churches.

The entry of the rich - initially well regarded - brought with it many problems over time, including the internal management of collective resources.

Common goods sometimes became the exclusive preserve of leaders who seemed to no longer have clear ideas about the social role of money.

The early Christians understood that faith in the resurrection is incompatible with attachment to the ephemeral. But it was a risky condition.

In this regard, the indirect testimony of Lucian of Samosata (125-192), author of satires against superstition and credulity, which also included Christianity, is significant.

In light-hearted language, he describes in 'The Death of Peregrine' [De morte Peregrini, 13] the impact that faith had on the lives of Christians of his time, and with unconventional firmness:

'Their first lawgiver persuades them that they are all brothers to one another, and as they convert, renouncing the Greek gods, they worship that wise crucified man and live according to his laws. For this reason, they despise all possessions equally and believe them to be common, and they do not care about them when they have them. Therefore, if a shrewd impostor arose among them who knew how to handle them well, he would immediately become rich, mocking these gullible and foolish people."

The liberation from the idols of private property that Jesus proposed stimulated even the most quick-witted and established souls to appreciate the transformation of property in relation to the lives and possibilities of others.

Obviously, in order to introduce this model of sharing and encounter the outside world, the choice had to start close to home: one could not oppress sisters and brothers of the same faith and preach justice to the world.

Emancipation begins in the small circle of one's family, acquaintances and friends; in the small change of internal and daily relationships.

The fact is that God and money give opposite orders. One distracts from the other.

So sooner or later, even those motivated by good intentions can come to despise the Father, the Communion, and the ideals lived out even in summary form, and become attached to trivial shortcuts.

The official religious leaders, all united in defending the lavish earnings secured by the ancient world—which they (greedily) upheld with drawn swords—honoured the Eternal One in signs, but... they gave in to temptation.

Now deprived of both fundamental and detailed choices, the directors laughed behind Jesus' back, plotting secretly and in concert. Even today, unfortunately, they treat him as a naive dreamer (vv. 14-15).

Yet the Master continues to shout himself hoarse, so that we too may enter into his new 'proactive' Economy [as the bishops of South Africa and the recent social encyclical might define it].

An economy of gratuitousness that does not impoverish - for the 'greatest possible wealth' that extinguishes the 'desire to dominate' but makes us 'be together as human beings' (FT n.229).

Here, the small becomes significant. The challenge is open.

To internalise and live the message:

Are you generically supportive or.... fraternal in conquibus?

Have you experienced the gift that does not impoverish, but enriches?

In the ecclesial sphere, have you felt deprived, or vice versa, humanised?

[…] I was able to pause and reflect on the correct use of earthly goods, a theme the Evangelist Luke reproposes for our attention this Sunday in various ways. 

Telling the Parable of the dishonest but very crafty administrator, Christ teaches his disciples the best way to use money and material riches, that is, to share them with the poor, thus acquiring their friendship, with a view to the Kingdom of Heaven. "Make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous mammon," Jesus says, "so that when it fails they may receive you into the eternal habitations" (Lk 16: 9). 

Money is not "dishonest" in itself, but more than anything else it can close man in a blind egocentrism. It therefore concerns a type of work of "conversion" of economic goods: instead of using them only for self-interest, it is also necessary to think of the needs of the poor, imitating Christ himself, who, as St Paul wrote: "though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich" (II Cor 8: 9). 

It seems paradoxical: Christ has not enriched us with his richness but with his poverty, with his love that brought him to give himself totally to us. 

Here one could open up a vast and complex field of reflection on the theme of poverty and riches, also on a world scale, in which two logics of economics oppose each other: the logic of profit and that of the equal distribution of goods, which do not contradict each other if their relationship is well ordered. 

Catholic social doctrine has always supported that equitable distribution of goods is a priority. Naturally, profit is legitimate and, in just measure, necessary for economic development. 

In his Encyclical Centesimus Annus, John Paul II wrote: "The modern business economy has positive aspects. Its basis is human freedom exercised in many other fields" (n. 32). Yet, he adds that capitalism must not be considered as the only valid model of economic organization (cf. ibid., n. 35). 

Starvation and ecological emergencies stand to denounce, with increasing evidence, that the logic of profit, if it prevails, increases the disproportion between rich and poor and leads to a ruinous exploitation of the planet. 

Instead, when the logic of sharing and solidarity prevails, it is possible to correct the course and direct it towards an equitable, sustainable development. 

May Mary Most Holy, who in the Magnificat proclaimed: the Lord "has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent empty away" (Lk 1: 53), help Christians to use earthly goods with Gospel wisdom, that is, with generous solidarity, and inspire politicians and economists with farsighted strategies that favour the authentic progress of all peoples.

[Pope Benedict, Angelus, 23 September 2007]

2. The problems and challenges facing pastoral activity in north-eastern Brazil are long-standing, almost endemic, posing the Church's pastors with the troubling question: how can we evangelise such vast and poor populations and share the anguish born of their poverty, which in real life takes on very concrete forms, in which we should recognise the suffering face of Christ? How can we build up the Church, with its distinctive characteristic of being a "sign and safeguard of the transcendent dimension of the human person" and a promoter of his or her integral dignity, with these "living stones", when their poverty is often not only a random stage in unavoidable situations caused by natural factors, but also the product of certain economic, social and political structures?

3. We cannot fail to remember with gratitude in this circumstance, at least globally, the host of self-sacrificing, virtuous and devoted missionaries and pastors who preceded you and who must be considered as the founders of the Church of God (cf. Eph 2:20) in your current dioceses, or, to use the patristic expression, "who gave birth there" Churches there, and not without suffering. In their time, they surely asked themselves what God's plan was for the vocation of each person in building society, to make it ever more human, just and fraternal, and how the priority of priorities in evangelisation could be achieved: to seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness.

5. In order to progress gradually and effectively, and not only to satisfy their immediate vital needs, peoples and human groups in general need solidarity to achieve the indispensable and permanent transformation of the structures of economic life. But it is not easy to proceed along the steep path of this transformation unless there is a genuine conversion of minds, wills and hearts, which will dispel the confusion of freedom with the instinct of individual and collective interest, or even with the instinct of struggle and domination, whatever ideological colours they may be cloaked in (cf. John Paul II, Redemptor hominis, 16).

[Pope John Paul II, Address to Brazilian Bishops, 16 September 1985]

The parable in this Sunday’s Gospel passage (cf. Lk 16:1-13) has as its protagonist a sly and dishonest steward who, charged with wasting his master’s goods, is about to be dismissed. In this difficult situation, he does not complain; he does not seek justifications nor does he allow himself to become discouraged, but thinks of a way out in order to ensure himself a calm future. He initially reacts with clarity of mind, recognizing his own limitations: “I am not strong enough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg” (v. 3); then he acts shrewdly, robbing his master for the last time. In fact, he calls the debtors and reduces the debts they owe to the master, in order to make them friends and to be repaid by them later. This is to make friends through corruption and obtaining gratitude through corruption, as sadly is common practice today.

Jesus presents this example certainly not to encourage dishonesty, but prudence. Indeed he emphasizes: “The master commended the dishonest steward for his prudence” (v. 8), that is, for that combination of intelligence and cunning, which enables one to overcome difficult situations. The key to reading this narrative lies in Jesus’ invitation at the end of the parable: “make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous mammon, so that when it fails they may receive you into the eternal habitations” (v. 9).

This seems somewhat confusing, but it is not so: the “unrighteous mammon” is money — also called “devil’s dung” — and in general material goods.

Wealth can propel one to build walls, create division and discrimination. Jesus, on the contrary, encourages his disciples to reverse course: “Make friends for yourselves by means of mammon”. It is an invitation to know how to change goods and wealth into relationships, because people are worth more than things, and count more than the wealth they possess. Indeed, in life, it is not those who have many riches who bear fruit, but those who create and keep alive many bonds, many relationships, many friendships through a variety of “mammon”, that is, the different gifts that God has given them. But Jesus also points to the ultimate aim of his exhortation: “Make friends for yourselves by means of mammon so that they may receive you into the eternal habitations”. If we are able to transform wealth into tools of fraternity and solidarity, not only will God be there to welcome us into heaven, but also those with whom we have shared, properly stewarded what the Lord has placed in our hands.

Brothers and sisters, this Gospel passage makes the question of the dishonest steward dismissed by his master, resonate in us: “What shall I do now?” (cf. v. 3). In facing our shortcomings and our failures, Jesus assures us that we are always in time to put right with good the harm done. Those who have caused tears, make someone happy; those who have wrongfully taken, give to those who are in need. By doing so, we will be commended by the Lord “because we have acted with prudence”, that is, with the wisdom of those who recognize themselves as children of God and challenge themselves for the Kingdom of Heaven.

May the Blessed Virgin help us to be prudent by assuring ourselves not worldly success but eternal life, so that at the moment of the final judgement, the needy people whom we have helped can testify that in them we saw and served the Lord.

[Pope Francis, Angelus, 22 September 2019]

In the difference between common religiosity and Faith

(Lk 8:4-15)

The parables compare the lived reality and the world of the Spirit:

«And another part fell on the earth the beautiful one, and sprouted it bore fruit a hundredfold» (v.8).

Palestine’ stony terrain and scorching climate did not make it easy for the workers who lived on agriculture.

The lack of rain and the intrusion into the fields of those who wanted to shorten the path, destroyed the plants.

Tiring action and few tangible results.

Despite the enormous difficulties, every year the peasant threw grains with a wide hand, generously - and ploughed, animated by confidence in the inner life force of the seed and in the bounty of nature.

Ploughing was after sowing, to avoid that the soils turned over dried immediately under the powerful heat, and did not allow the grains to take root thanks to a minimum of moisture.

So the sower didn’t select the different types of ground prematurely.

The Seed already works: the new ‘Kingdom that Comes’ is not glorious, but here and there it takes root and produces - even where you do not expect.

According to the ancient religious mentality it seems a madness, but the divine Farmer does not choose the type of "land", nor discriminates on the basis of the percentage of production - although it would seem easy to predict.

The Sower even accepts that his ‘grain’ fallen on the ground «beautiful», fruits in differently: one hundred, sixty, thirty for one [Mt 13:8.23; Mk 4:8.20; the text of Lk doesn’t speak of percentages].

The term «beautiful» (in the Eastern sense) means the full and fruitful land [the soul and work of the most intimate, even anonymous ones].

The Lord means that a wise commitment to evangelization cannot be measured with fussiness.

His Word remains as a Beginning thrown into the human heart by the One who is neither stingy nor exclusive - but magnanimous.

In this way, the Church, his new People, is a small alternative world to both the Empire and selective religions.

The new Rabbi did not intend to carve out better disciples than others - isolated from the reality of the human family.

He was proposing a new lifestyle, cohabiting.

In short, God doesn’t force the growth of the ‘seed’ in each of us, in an abstract way; He waits patiently.

Even accepts that it is born badly or that it does not arise at all. He knows where to go.

Since overflowingly spreads on all kinds of hearts (even on asphalt), He foresees already that will be accused of being unwise.

But He doesn’t worry about the quantity, nor about the immediate outward fruits of His ‘grain’.

He doesn’t care that the work is "effective in departure"!

Such is the amiable, humanizing and divine (parental) Tolerance that saves. Loveableness that does not kidnap us every moment, to plan.

Rather, all this is to make us understand that He is not a calculating and miserly God, external, tight and biased; but a munificent and conciliatory Father.

Lord of the Kingdom who does not wait first for our little ‘perfections’.

The metaphor that follows the initial parable is intended to emphasize that any lack of result is not to be attributed to the lack of vitality of the Seed, nor to the divine Work, but to man’s freedom; to his condition of limit or incoherence.

Unfortunately, from the earliest generations of believers, the positive Call of Jesus has been reinterpreted somewhat backwards: with moralistic and individualistic overtones (vv.11-15) that have undermined its genuineness.

In this way, the initial proposal of personal Faith became contaminated with the customary purist and fall-back [guilt-ridden] outlook typical of the surrounding philosophies and religions, as well as common thought.

Certain configurations of ecclesial order subsequently normalized the same exceptional power of the Message; so unprecedented. In particular, the new sense of adequacy, confidence and self-esteem that the Son of God intended to communicate to His friends, and to the world of the least.

[Saturday 24th wk. in O.T.  September 20, 2025]