This blog follows the daily bible readings of the Catholic Church

Reading 1 Phil 4:10-19

Brothers and sisters:

I rejoice greatly in the Lord

that now at last you revived your concern for me.

You were, of course, concerned about me but lacked an opportunity.

Not that I say this because of need,

for I have learned, in whatever situation I find myself,

to be self-sufficient.

I know indeed how to live in humble circumstances;

I know also how to live with abundance.

In every circumstance and in all things

I have learned the secret of being well fed and of going hungry,

of living in abundance and of being in need.

I have the strength for everything through him who empowers me.

Still, it was kind of you to share in my distress.

You Philippians indeed know that at the beginning of the Gospel,

when I left Macedonia,

not a single church shared with me

in an account of giving and receiving, except you alone.

For even when I was at Thessalonica

you sent me something for my needs,

not only once but more than once.

It is not that I am eager for the gift;

rather, I am eager for the profit that accrues to your account.

I have received full payment and I abound.

I am very well supplied because of what I received from you

through Epaphroditus,

“a fragrant aroma,” an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God.

My God will fully supply whatever you need,

in accord with his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.

Paul thanks the Philippian Church for supporting his mission in other cities. We may be inclined to take this for granted, but it’s a sign that one church immediately grasped Paul’s ecumenical design of creating a new human community of “God’s people” across national and ethnic boundaries. His model of course is the Roman Empire with its inclusive government and communications. It was however spread and held together by force. God’s new people will spread by means of the “glad tidings” of Jesus Messiah and will be held together by a partnership of the Spirit. The Philippians have understood this vision, and are also amongst the first to support the “collection” for the poor in Jerusalem which is another manifestation of the new world-wide community. The Greek word ecumeny means the inhabited world. The church is only the church when its ecumenical concern embraces the whole world and all the local churches.

Luke 16:9-15

Gospel

Jesus said to his disciples:

“I tell you, make friends for yourselves with dishonest wealth,

so that when it fails, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.

The person who is trustworthy in very small matters

is also trustworthy in great ones;

and the person who is dishonest in very small matters

is also dishonest in great ones.

If, therefore, you are not trustworthy with dishonest wealth,

who will trust you with true wealth?

If you are not trustworthy with what belongs to another,

who will give you what is yours?

No servant can serve two masters.

He will either hate one and love the other,

or be devoted to one and despise the other.

You cannot serve God and mammon.”

The Pharisees, who loved money,

heard all these things and sneered at him.

And he said to them,

“You justify yourselves in the sight of others,

but God knows your hearts;

for what is of human esteem is an abomination in the sight of God.”

Our friends, the poor whom we’ve helped, will welcome us into eternal dwellings. That’s how to make good use of “dishonest wealth” (worldly wealth), that’s how to be trustworthy stewards of the world’s goods: we must share them equitably. The world’s wealth “belongs” to all; if we can’t be trustworthy in making sure everyone has some, how can we value the true wealth of the Spirit?

“You gotta serve somebody”, Bob Dylan sings, “It may be the devil or it may be the Lord, but you gotta serve somebody.”

We cannot serve God AND money. It’s a hard word.