Missionaries of Mercy
being God's good stewards
Announcements for September 17, 2022:
If you need anything at all, please be in touch with me.
Our next Youth Ministry gathering will be Friday, September 23rd from 7:00 to 9:00pm. High school students will gather in Gordon Hall, and middle school students will meet in the school gym.
A new Financial Peace University course will begin on Sunday afternoon, and will run weekly on Sundays until November 13th via Zoom. For more information, please be in touch with us.
Our Women’s Group will meet this Tuesday, September 20th. To join this vibrant, loving group of women in prayer and fellowship, simply come as you are to the church at 7:00pm.
Visit the OLMC Parishioner Portal for all of our recent announcements.
Dear Saints,
Every now and again I take a little heat for beginning my homilies by saying, "this is a challenging Gospel passage." Well, guess what? This weekend's Gospel passage is worthy of the well-worn transition!
The Parable of the Unjust Steward presents us with a rich man holding his steward (basically, a money manager) to account for squandering his property. When told he would be fired, the steward negotiates with his master's debtors to reduce what they must repay.
The master commends the steward. Jesus comments that the children of light (Israel) ought to be as prudent as the steward in his story.
Confusing? Very much so. Let's take one quick swipe at it, and dig into it more at Mass this weekend.
Any time we hear a story about a master and a steward, we should think of God and his relationship to Israel. The People of God (Israel, the children of light) were always meant to be God's good stewards: owning nothing themselves, they were to manage God's resources for his purposes.
So what, of God's resources, have they mismanaged? Most important among them, his mercy.
Jesus is on the scene, then, to turn out the unjust stewards, and entrust the mercy of God to those who will manage it well.
That's us, my friends. And as the new Israel, that's our life's purpose. We manage God's mercy well by giving it away, by bringing his merciful, kind, compassionate, forgiving, and patient love to life for everyone we encounter. Even - nay especially - the people we encounter every day!
I love you my friends, and I look forward to seeing you soon!
Christ's Peace,
Father Daniel
δοῦλος Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ
PS More on stewardship, and our reflecting God's generous love: In my pastor's letter this week, I take up again what I consider to be the most important spiritual practice of our time: the tithe!
Preparing for Mass?
Check out this weekend's readings:
Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Parable of the Unjust Steward
Marinus van Reymerswaele, c.1540