Thursday, November 9, 2023

10-NOV-'23, Memorial of Saint Leo the Great


Memorial of Saint Leo the Great, Pope and Doctor of the Church

Lectionary: 489


Reading 1

Romans 15:14-21

I myself am convinced about you, my brothers and sisters,

that you yourselves are full of goodness,

filled with all knowledge, and able to admonish one another.

But I have written to you rather boldly in some respects to remind you,

because of the grace given me by God

to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles

in performing the priestly service of the Gospel of God,

so that the offering up of the Gentiles may be acceptable,

sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

In Christ Jesus, then, I have reason to boast in what pertains to God.

For I will not dare to speak of anything

except what Christ has accomplished through me

to lead the Gentiles to obedience by word and deed,

by the power of signs and wonders,

by the power of the Spirit of God,

so that from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum

I have finished preaching the Gospel of Christ.

Thus I aspire to proclaim the Gospel

not where Christ has already been named,

so that I do not build on another's foundation,

but as it is written:


Those who have never been told of him shall see,

and those who have never heard of him shall understand.


Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 98:1, 2-3ab, 3cd-4

R. (see 2b) The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.

Sing to the LORD a new song,

for he has done wondrous deeds;

His right hand has won victory for him,

his holy arm.

R. The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.

The LORD has made his salvation known:

in the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice.

He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulness

toward the house of Israel.

R. The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.

All the ends of the earth have seen

the salvation by our God.

Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands;

break into song; sing praise.

R. The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.


Alleluia

1 John 2:5

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Whoever keeps the word of Christ,

the love of God is truly perfected in him.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.


Gospel

Luke 16:1-8

Jesus said to his disciples, "A rich man had a steward

who was reported to him for squandering his property.

He summoned him and said,

'What is this I hear about you?

Prepare a full account of your stewardship,

because you can no longer be my steward.'

The steward said to himself, 'What shall I do,

now that my master is taking the position of steward away from me?

I am not strong enough to dig and I am ashamed to beg.

I know what I shall do so that,

when I am removed from the stewardship,

they may welcome me into their homes.'

He called in his master's debtors one by one.

To the first he said, 'How much do you owe my master?'

He replied, 'One hundred measures of olive oil.'

He said to him, 'Here is your promissory note.

Sit down and quickly write one for fifty.'

Then to another he said, 'And you, how much do you owe?'

He replied, 'One hundred measures of wheat.'

He said to him, 'Here is your promissory note;

write one for eighty.'

And the master commended that dishonest steward for acting prudently.

For the children of this world

are more prudent in dealing with their own generation

than the children of light."


Reflection 1

Catholic Daily Reflections


Stewards of Earthly Riches


Jesus said to his disciples, “A rich man had a steward who was reported to him for squandering his property. He summoned him and said, ‘What is this I hear about you? Prepare a full account of your stewardship, because you can no longer be my steward.’” Luke 16:1–2


There is much to ponder in this parable and many lessons from which we can learn. To begin, the rich man should be understood as God and you as the steward. This is an important first lesson to learn because it reveals to us that, when it comes to material things in this world, God is the true owner of all—we are only stewards. Think about that carefully. When it comes to all that you own, all your money and possessions, do you hold on to it as if you were the complete master of these material items? Clearly most people do think this way. They may work hard to earn a living, save and buy this and that, build up their bank accounts, and then remain very attached to these material things, seeing them as “mine” rather than as God’s. So the first very challenging lesson we should look at is that all we “own” is actually the possession of God. He only permits us to be stewards of the things of this world. Do you believe that?


As stewards, we must be committed to use the riches within our stewardship only in the way that God wants it used. In this parable, the steward was reported to the rich man for “squandering his property.” We also are guilty of squandering the possessions of God when we use money in accord with our own will and desires rather than those of God’s. This is an exceptionally common tendency, especially for those who have become the stewards of much money. Therefore, the more money that one has stewardship over, the more they will be tempted to squander it, meaning, use it for selfish purposes rather than for the glory of God in accord with His will. This is a hard teaching to accept and live. But these truths are indeed revealed to us by this parable, so it is essential that we listen.


The words spoken by the rich man, “Prepare a full account of your stewardship,” are words that we must all anticipate hearing one day. If that day were today, what would that “full account of your stewardship” look like? Have you worked hard for selfish gain? Or have you worked hard to act with great responsibility over the things God has entrusted to your care?


As the parable continues, we read that the steward acted “prudently” in that he devised a plan to make sure his material needs were met once he lost his position as steward. The “prudence,” however, that is spoken of here is a reference to the worldly, and therefore, evil ingenuity, cleverness, hard work and commitment many people have regarding the material wealth they seek to obtain in this world. Though it is good to be diligent and hardworking in life, too often this is done for the purpose of selfish gain. Just imagine if everyone who worked so hard at getting rich put even more effort into building up the Kingdom of God on earth! How different this world would be if we had so many hard workers for God’s mission.


Reflect, today, upon the simple truth that when it comes to the riches of this world, you are only the steward of what you possess, not its master. God wants you free from the attachment to material wealth so that you will be free to use all that you have for His glory and in accord with His purpose. That does not mean that you must donate all you have to charities. Instead, it means that you continually offer all that you have to God and seek to use it in accord with His will and His will alone. If that means you discern that God wants you to buy something new, then buy something new. If that means giving more away, then give more away. If that means living more simply as a holy sacrifice, then do just that. Money cannot buy happiness. Only embracing God’s will to the fullest will result in the happiness and fulfillment you deeply desire.


Reflection 2

One Bread, One Body


THE SACRAMENTS OF INITIATIVE


“The worldly take more initiative than the other-worldly when it comes to dealing with their own kind.” —Luke 16:8


“Unless the Lord build the house, they labor in vain who build it. Unless the Lord guard the city, in vain does the guard keep vigil” (Ps 127:1). “It is the Lord’s blessing that brings wealth, and no effort can substitute for it” (Prv 10:22). No matter how hard we try, we cannot make the works of God happen. “It is God Who, in His good will toward you, begets in you any measure of desire or achievement” (Phil 2:13).


Some people infer from this that Christians should not take initiative in building God’s kingdom on earth as it is in heaven. However, the Lord didn’t tell us to take no initiative but rather to not think that our initiative is the cause of His works.


The Lord wants His people to take more initiative than “the movers and the shakers” of this world (see Lk 16:8). Like the early Church and the Church throughout the centuries, we are to take bold initiatives for God’s kingdom. The Church teaches: “The initiative of lay Christians is necessary especially when the matter involves discovering or inventing the means for permeating social, political, and economic realities with the demands of Christian doctrine and life. This initiative is a normal element of the life of the Church” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 899). We Christians are a people of strong initiative, for we follow God Who initiates everything good (Jas 1:17). He does this because He is Love (1 Jn 4:16). We do this because “the love of Christ impels us” (2 Cor 5:14).


Prayer:  Father, may zeal for Your house consume me (Jn 2:17).


Promise:  “They who received no word of Him will see Him, and they who have never heard will understand.” —Rm 15:21


Praise:  Pope St. Leo the Great protected Rome from the attack of Attila. He also re-established the office of the diaconate within the Church.


Reflection 3

By Mons. Salvador CRISTAU i Coll Bishop of Terrassa (Barcelona)

(Barcelona, Spain)


“The children of this world are more prudent in dealing with their own generation than the children of light”


Today, the Gospel proposes a question, which, at first sight, is rather extraordinary. St. Luke's text, indeed, says: “And the master commended that dishonest steward for acting prudently” (Lk 16:8).


It goes without saying we are not being told here to be deceitful in our relationships amongst ourselves, much less, with our Lord. It is not therefore a praise to simply be a dishonest steward. What Jesus actually manifests in this example is a grievance for the shrewdness in dealing with the matters of this world and the lack of true wit of the sons of light in building God's Kingdom: “The children of this world are more prudent in dealing with their own generation than the children of light” (Lk 16:8).


All this proves —once again!— that men's hearts still have the same limits and miseries that they have ever had. We now may speak of traffic of influence, corruption, unjustified wealth, counterfeiting documents... More or less just as in Jesus' days.


But this poses a double question: Do we actually believe we can deceive God with our appearance, while pretending to be good Christians? And, when speaking of shrewdness, we should also speak of personal interest. Are we really interested in God's Kingdom and in His justice? As sons of light, is mediocrity our most frequent response? Jesus also said “For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be” (Mt 6:21).


What is our life’s treasure? We should examine our desires so that we may find out where we keep our treasure... Saint Augustine tells us: “Your continuous yearning is your continuous voice. If you stop loving, your yearning will be silent.”


Maybe today, before our Lord, we have to ponder what our astuteness, as sons of light, should be, that is, the sincerity of our relationship with God and our brothers. “Life is truly always a choice: between honesty and dishonesty, between fidelity and infidelity, between good and evil (…). Ultimately, Jesus says, it is necessary to make a fundamental decision” (Benedict XVI).


Prayers


My Lord of all riches, You and You alone are the Master of all things created. All that I have and possess are Yours, dear Lord. Help me to believe this and to live my life purely as a steward of the possessions I have. Free me from squandering that which You have entrusted to my care. May I use all for Your glory and only in accord with Your holy will. Jesus, I trust in You.


Lord, when I feel the weight, attacks and temptations of the world come upon me, give me the wisdom to seek refuge.  May I run to You and hide in Your merciful Heart.  May I never doubt Your perfect protection and always find shelter in You.  Jesus, I trust in You.


Lord Jesus, all that I have is a gift from you. May I love you freely and generously with all that I possess. Help me to be a wise and faithful steward of the resources you put at my disposal, including the use of my time, money, and possessions.



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