Good News ReflectionFOR NEXT SUNDAY: September 19, 201025th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle C

Good News ReflectionFOR NEXT SUNDAY: September 19, 201025th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle C
Parish bulletins, faith-sharing groups, RCIA: For professionally published, printable copies of this reflection,please go to Catholic Digital Resources:http://catholicdr.com/calendar/September/25thC.htm - Preview a sample
Next Sunday's Readings:Amos 8:4-7 Ps 113:1-2, 4-81 Timothy 2:1-8Luke 16:1-13http://www.usccb.org/nab/091910.shtmlUSCCB Podcast of the Readings: http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/10_09_19.mp3
Next Sunday's Gospel reading tells us how a person can be affluent and holy at the same time. If money and material wealth is our god, we are not holy; we've divided ourselves from God, because God's Word emphasizes the importance of distributing to others a generous portion of everything we've received.
When acquiring wealth is a higher priority than distributing what we already have, God is not our master. This is true not only with material goods, but with everything else that is good.
We are all richly blessed one way or another: How readily to do use your riches for the benefit of others?
The "dishonest wealth" of which Jesus speaks is anything that "belongs to another". When we use other people's money (for example, taking out a loan from the bank) to our own advantage, we are not being trustworthy stewards of it unless it also somehow benefits the kingdom of God.
Likewise, if we misuse time by catering to selfish, unholy desires at the expense of those who need our attention, we are untrustworthy in the kingdom of God. Jesus wants to bless people through you. He has given you something that belongs to them, because he has called you to be a distributor of his gifts. If we ignore this primary principle of God’s economy, Jesus says, "Who will give you what is yours?"
What is ours, if we're trustworthy enough to be good stewards, are riches that will remain with us for all of eternity: the wealth of the spirit, the approval and praise of God, the fullness of love, etc.
To be holy with our affluence, we have to first be trustworthy with the love that belongs to others – the love that God feels for them. Our trust-ability is found in the sharing of our temporal (earthly) goods as well as eternal goods (faith, wisdom, hope, etc.).
Questions for Personal Reflection:What are you reluctant to share? What do you fear will happen if you surrender it to God for his use and his purposes? What do you need to do with this fear so that you can become a good steward of God's riches?
Questions for Family & Community Faith Sharing:Name any material possession that seems to be used only for worldly or selfish purposes. Can it be converted into a gift for others and used for the glory of God? If so, how?
STARTING ON MONDAY, if you're a member of the "Emmaus Journey" e-group, share your answers by writing to EmmausJourney@gnm.org* To join and become a member, go to: http://gogoodnews.net/GNMcommunities/EmmausJourney/
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