Spiritual Intelligence

The WORD in other words (2020) by Fr Rudolf Horst SVD – Christ the King Seminary, Quezon City

Friday 31st Week in Ordinary Time

Today’s Gospel readings, the parable of the dishonest steward, is one of those reading that leave us scratching our heads and wondering what exactly what Jesus is trying to teach us.

The steward’s responsibilities were to handle all the business affairs of his employer. However, he had been mishandling his employer’s fund and was about to be fired. Immediately the steward began to think of his future.

So he thought of a stratagem by which he called in all his employer’s debtors and reduced the amounts they owed. By doing this favor, the steward hoped to be able to find alternative employment with one of them. Surprisingly, his employer, far from being angry, praised the farsightedness of his corrupt steward.

Some commentators question whether the steward was actually acting dishonestly. The Mosaic Law forbade taking interest on loans from fellows Jews, so one way of getting round this was to overcharge debtors. By reducing the debts to the proper level the steward was correcting an injustice and, at the same time, making these debtors favorably disposed towards him. Whatever the interpretation, the point Jesus was making is the same : the steward acted with shrewdness and intelligence to guarantee his future.

Jesus concludes by pointing out that the worldly are far more astute in providing for their future than those who are regarded as spiritual, the “children of light”. Jesus is in no way condoning the steward’s clear-sighted preparation of his future.