HW: On trying to buy a new car!!! (Luke 16:1-13; 21 September 2025)

A reflection on Luke 16:1-13, the story of the shrewd manager. Written and spoken by Kieran J. O'Mahony OSA. 

Gentle piano music to close the meditation

Transcript

John’s Lane
D08 F8NW
21 September 2025
Luke 16:1-13: The Shrewd Manager

Welcome
Let me start with a personal anecdote which may amuse and instruct. More than 20 years ago, I was thinking of buying a new car. In one sales room, the assistant assessed me — remember this was 20 years ago — and said: “a saloon is an old man’s car. What you need for your image is a hatchback.” Without a pause, I replied “my self esteem does not come from what car I own.” But it was as if I had spoken in a foreign language because the assistant, a woman, went on to expand a little: “a hatchback is a great chick-puller.” I really had nothing to say that but, needless to say,  I did not buy in that showroom!

Topic
What about the disconcerting Gospel for today? Can we read it to yield wisdom for today?

Steps
The basic story is clear enough. A dishonest or ineffective manager has been discovered and is about to be fired. His little confession is revealing: in the more poetic KJV, “to dig I am unable, to beg I am ashamed.” His next action has been variously read. It might just be that he is simply cancelling his “commission” as manager, thus making the debtors more friendly to him. Or it might be that his authority is still there and the debtors assume the reduction comes from the owner — i.e. he continues his mismanagement. In any case, he is pro-active and his initiative triggers admiration, grudgingly perhaps, even in the owner:

‘The master praised the dishonest steward for his astuteness.’

This is a first level of reading, followed by a comment:

For the children of this world are more astute in dealing with their own kind than are the children of light.

In other words, learn from outsiders who at least are pro-active. Independently of Luke’s concern about money, this can speak to us today. Very simply, am I pro-active in my life as a disciple of Jesus Christ?

The next comment is worth stopping on:

‘And so I tell you this: use money, tainted as it is, to win you friends, and thus make sure that when it fails you, they will welcome you into the tents of eternity.

This just could be irony, tipping over into sarcasm. As a colleague once put it, the most usual problem with tainted money is t’ain’t enough of it!!! More likely, it is meant earnestly. In a faith setting, how would you use money to win you friends? Obviously the Gospel is not encouraging us to “buying” friends, because not even money can buy you friendship. Not even with a hatchback!!! In the world of Luke, the message is clear: share what you have and give alms to the less well-off. This is indicated in the Gospel and illustrated strongly and powerfully in the Acts of the Apostles. As we read in the Acts, in a kind of idealised vision not practical in every circumstance:

All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need.

This is visionary, idealistic and, in its extreme form, not for everyone. Nevertheless, it is part of the foundation for the social teaching of Christianity — a very strong element in particular in Catholicism. That social teaching takes us beyond charity, which is optional, to justice, which is obligatory.

The final comment is really a look back over the whole passage: you cannot be the slave of two masters. It is unexpectedly easy to be come the slave of things which are not God: money, reputation, external appearance, power, control, self and so forth, as I experienced in the car showroom. As we know, none of these things brings any kind of permanent well-being or even contentment.

Conclusion
One of the many attractive features of Luke’s Gospel is his playful and memorable use of what we might call disreputable figures. Last week, we would have had the prodigal son; this week, the dishonest manager. Elsewhere, we have Zacchaeus and the Good Thief. It is Luke’s way of saying that not all the insiders are insiders and not all the outsiders are outsiders and there is hope for us all. And Luke is right, of course, about possessions.

Let us pray
God our saviour, you call us into your service. Make us wise and resourceful: children of the light who continue your work in this world with untiring concern for integrity and justice. Amen.