FIRST READING
Greet one another with a holy kiss.
A reading from the Letter of Saint Paul to the Romans (Romans 16:3-9.16.22-27)
Brethren: Greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, who risked their necks for my life, to whom not only I but also all the churches of the Gentiles give thanks; greet also the church in their house. Greet my beloved Epaenetus, who was the first convert in Asia for Christ. Greet Mary, who has worked hard among you. Greet Andronicus and Junias, my kinsmen and my fellow prisoners; they are men of note among the apostles, and they were in Christ before me. Greet Ampliatus, my beloved in the Lord. Greet Urbanus, our fellow worker in Christ, and my beloved Stachys. Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ greet you. I Tertius, the writer of this letter, greet you in the Lord. Gaius, who is host to me and to the whole Church, greets you. Erastus, the city treasurer, and our brother Quartos, greet you. Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which was kept secret for long ages but is now disclosed and through the prophetic writings is made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith – to the only wise God be glory for evermore through Jesus Christ! Amen.
The word of the Lord.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM Ps 145:2-3.4-5.10-11 (R. 1)
R/. I will bless your name for ever, my king and my God.
I will bless you day after day,
and praise your name for ever and ever.
The Lord is great and highly to be praised;
his greatness cannot be measured. R/.
R/. I will bless your name for ever, my king and my God.
Age to age shall proclaim your works,
shall declare your mighty deeds.
They will tell of your great glory and splendour,
and recount your wonderful works. R/
All your works shall thank you, O Lord,
and all your faithful ones bless you.
They shall speak of the glory of your reign,
and declare your mighty deeds. R/
ALLELUIA 2 Corinthians 8:9
Alleluia. Though Jesus Christ was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich. Alleluia.
GOSPEL
If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will entrust to you the true riches?
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke (Luke 16:9-15)
At that time: Jesus said to his disciples, “Make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous mammon, so that when it fails they may receive you into the eternal habitations. “He who is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much; and he who is dishonest in a very little is dishonest also in much. If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will entrust to you the true riches? And if you have not been faithful in that which is another’s, who will give you that which is your own? No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.” The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all this, and they scoffed at him. But he said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts; for what is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
TODAY’S REFLECTION
Wealth was never meant to be sought after as an end in itself, but was to be a means to an end. It is very unfortunate in today’s society to discover that both God himself and man have been turned into means of attaining what has unfortunately become the end for many wealth. Today many churches have become money-making empires and God has been turned into a business tool; today people defraud, backstab, blackmail, or even completely destroy their fellow humans in the quest for money. Christ was right: wealth has become the master to many and they have become its slaves, doing its bidding. Christ calls us today to re-order our priorities: love of God and neighbor comes first and every other thing must serve this end.