Sunday Worship
Welcome to our Sunday Worhip in Leesfield Parish. Our Church services are at the usual times of 9.15 am at St Agnes' and 11.00 am at St Thomas'. If you're not able to be with us in person, you'll find the Gospel reading, a reflection and prayers below to help you worship at home.
Our first hymn this morning is "Be Thou My Vision"
Today's Gospel
Luke 16:1-13 The Parable of the Shrewd Manager
Jesus said to the disciples, "There was a rich man who had a manager, and charges were brought to him that this man was squandering his property. So he summoned him and said to him, `What is this that I hear about you? Give me an accounting of your management, because you cannot be my manager any longer.' Then the manager said to himself, `What will I do, now that my master is taking the position away from me? I am not strong enough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg. I have decided what to do so that, when I am dismissed as manager, people may welcome me into their homes.' So, summoning his master's debtors one by one, he asked the first, `How much do you owe my master?' He answered, `A hundred jugs of olive oil.' He said to him, `Take your bill, sit down quickly, and make it fifty.' Then he asked another, `And how much do you owe?' He replied, `A hundred containers of wheat.' He said to him, `Take your bill and make it eighty.' And his master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly; for the children of this age are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than are the children of light. And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of dishonest wealth so that when it is gone, they may welcome you into the eternal homes.
"Whoever is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much; and whoever is dishonest in a very little is dishonest also in much. If then you have not been faithful with the dishonest wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches? And if you have not been faithful with what belongs to another, who will give you what is your own? No slave can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth."
Reflection
“ No slave can serve two masters; …….You cannot serve God and wealth."
The parable of the shrewd manager, sometimes referred to as ‘the unjust steward’ follows immediately after the parable of the Prodigal Son. In that case the younger son has taken a small fortune from his father and squandered it, whereas the older son carefully looks after the rest of the family’s wealth. Despite the older son’s careful management of the father’s wealth, he does not ultimately end up having a close relationship with his father. We are told that relationships are important.
In the example of the shrewd manager, we see how the manager who is about to be dismissed, sees a way to secure a better future by reducing the indebtedness of his masters debtors. The hope is, that by doing so, they will look favourably on him when his circumstances take a change for the worse and reciprocate by helping him out. So why is this considered shrewdness and not just fraudulent? Presumably, if the manager had just stolen the money from his master, it would have been far easier to spot the crime. Once found out, the manager would have been arrested and would not be allowed to take the money with him. Even if he did get away with some of the money, it would quickly have run out, whereas the actions he took to help out the master’s debtors, would have put them under a longer lasting relationship and obligation.
So, is Jesus suggesting that we should defraud people and use the money to build relationships for our own benefit? Of course not. However, he does expect us to put ourselves in the shoes of the manager who has charge of his master’s money. If we start from the precept, that everything we have comes to us as a gift from God, then it follows, that we are stewards of what God has given to us. As stewards, God expects us to be generous with His gifts, to use them for the benefit of others and not just ourselves. Because, by being generous to those in need, we are building relationships with others and with God. By not hoarding our earthly savings, but instead using them to further God’s goals, we are storing up treasures in heaven. If we can be trusted with the riches God gives us in this life, how much more will he trust us in the next life? Paul
Gracious Lord, we thank you for the gifts you have provided for us,
We ask that through the Holy Spirit, we may be given the generosity and wisdom,
To use those gifts wisely and selflessly.
That through our examples of love and kindness,
we may build relationships with other people and with You. Amen
Today's final hymn is "All My Hope On God Is Founded"
Notices
We were all saddened to hear of the death of our late Sovereign Lady, Queen Elizabeth. Please hold the Royal Family and the whole of our nation in your prayers during these days of mourning. There will be a Civic Interfaith Memorial Service at Oldham Parish Church at 6 pm on Sunday, to which all are invited.
Her Majesty’s funeral service is at 11 am on Monday, followed by a 2 minute silence. St Thomas’ Church will then be open from 12.30 to 3.00 pm, when everyone is welcome to call in to offer prayers, light a candle, or add a message of condolence.
