Readings: Amos 8:4-7; Psalm 113; 1 Timothy 2:1-8; Luke 16:1-13
Grace and peace to you dear brothers and sisters in Christ. Our First Reading is taken from the prophet Amos, often called the prophet of social justice. Today, Amos raises his voice against the oppression of the poor by the rich, dishonest business practices, and religious corruption. These sins had become rampant in Israel.
God had freed His people from Egypt to form them into a society of justice, solidarity, and equality. Yet, having been liberated from external oppressors, they began to oppress one another.
The message is still urgent for us today. God is displeased with all forms of injustice, dishonesty, betrayal, conspiracy, repaying good with evil, cheating, unfaithfulness to promises and covenants, and indifference to the cries of others. These sins violate the very purpose of creation, offend God’s holiness, and provoke His judgment.
In the Second Reading, St. Paul exhorts us to pray for kings and all in authority. Why? Because power, wealth, and privilege have a way of corrupting the human heart. To be entrusted with wealth, influence and power, and yet remain humble, just, and God-fearing is only possible by grace.
It is easy to criticise those in power, but Paul reminds us: if we ourselves were exposed to the same temptations, we might fall even more deeply. Therefore, we are to pray for leaders, that they may govern with justice, guided by the fear of God and the pursuit of the common good.
Today’s Gospel (Luke 16:1-13) is the well-known but challenging parable of the unfaithful steward.
A wealthy man entrusted his property to a steward, but the steward abused the trust. He squandered resources, became corrupt, and was eventually caught. Facing dismissal and shame, he devised a clever plan to win the goodwill of others by reducing their debts. Surprisingly, the master praised him, not for dishonesty, but for his shrewdness.
At first glance, this parable can confuse us. Why is Jesus highlighting the actions of a dishonest man? But the point is not to imitate his dishonesty, but his urgency and decisiveness. He recognised that his time was short, and he acted swiftly to secure his future.
Practical Lessons for Us
1. We are all stewards.
Everything we have, our time, talents, opportunities, relationships, and resources, belong to God. We are not owners but managers. Like the steward, we will one day render an account (Romans 14:12; 2 Corinthians 5:10).
2. The danger of misplaced trust. The steward allowed money and privilege to corrupt him, just as Amos denounced in the First Reading. Money is not evil in itself, but “the love of money is the root of all evils” (1 Timothy 6:10). We must not let it enslave us. We must not allow the pursuit of money to distract us from God and the more important things of life.
3. The urgency of conversion.
The steward, though guilty, acted with urgency when faced with judgment. Jesus wants us to act with the same decisiveness in turning away from sin and preparing for eternity. Too many of us are careful about preparing for retirement but careless about preparing for eternal life.
4. Be wise with earthly goods.
Jesus says: “Use worldly wealth to win friends for yourselves, so that when it fails, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings” (Luke 16:9). In other words, use money and possessions generously for charity, mission, and helping the needy. When we do, we are storing up treasures in heaven.
5. We cannot serve two masters. Jesus concludes: “You cannot serve God and mammon” (Luke 16:13). That is, a divided heart is impossible – one will always take first place. In practice, this happens when money or status guides our choices more than God does; when career, possessions, or comfort matter more than integrity, prayer, or love. Money is not evil, but it must remain a servant, not a master. If God is first, we will use money wisely for family, charity, and mission. If money is first, God becomes secondary and our soul is in danger.
Connecting the Readings
Amos warns us against the abuse of wealth and power and calls us to treat people with justice, respect and fairness.
Paul urges us to pray for those entrusted with authority so they may not fall into this abuse.
Jesus shows us through the parable that while dishonesty will be exposed, repentance and wise use of resources can prepare us for eternal life.
Together, these readings call us to a life of integrity and kindness, to standing in the gap instead of criticising and condemning, and to responsible stewardship – living each day as people who must one day give an account before God.
Let us use wisely the gifts entrusted to us. Let us repent where we have been careless, dishonest, or unjust. Let us invest our lives not merely for retirement on earth, but for eternity with God, so that when we resign from this world, we may hear the words: “Well done, good and faithful servant… enter into the joy of your Master”
Sermon preached by Fr Emmanuel Baraka-Gukena Okami on September 21, 2025