From the Gospel according to Luke

16:9-15

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.”

Training in Faithfulness

In this Gospel, Jesus warns us that if you are not faithful in small things, you will not be faithful in great ones either. And faithfulness is absolutely essential in marriage.

When we marry, the most familiar words we hear are perhaps these:

“I take you as my husband/wife, and I give myself to you, and I promise to be faithful to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, to love and honour you all the days of my life.”

We promise each other faithfulness in both joy and hardship. This fidelity is a sign of our love and respect — a reflection of God’s covenant with us. God is faithful; He keeps His promises and has bound Himself to our marriage in a covenant of love to make it possible.

How important it is that we live out that faithfulness we promised each other — beginning with the small, everyday details! Fidelity is not only about physical loyalty, but also about the little things: coming home promptly after work to help with the children or the house instead of staying for a drink; keeping our daily prayer time together, persevering in that moment we set aside for one another and for our marriage.

These are chances to train ourselves in small acts of fidelity, so that when real temptations or trials arise, we will be strong enough to remain faithful. If we grow careless in the small things, we will not withstand the great ones when they come.

Brought into Married Life

Vincent: Claire, I don’t quite understand what Jesus means about “making friends with dishonest wealth.”

Claire: I think it means we shouldn’t cling to material goods but rather use them to store up treasure in heaven.

Vincent: But He mentions “dishonesty” — doing wrong knowingly. That would mean earning money through deceit, and I earn our living honestly.

Claire: Yes, but we earn more than we truly need, don’t we?

Vincent: That’s true, but it’s the result of many years of hard work.

Claire: Are you sure it’s only that, Vincent? Don’t you think God has given you certain gifts and opportunities that others haven’t received?

Vincent: Hmm… I’m not sure I follow you.

Claire: I mean that everything we have — absolutely everything — comes from God. We are very blessed with the material goods the Lord has allowed us to enjoy, far more than we actually need, while others lack even the essentials. What do you think God expects from us?

Vincent: You’re right. God has given us more than we truly need. I suppose He expects us to use it to help those who have less.

Claire: Exactly. If we cling to worldly goods, we end up serving money instead of God. But if we use those goods generously for the benefit of others, and do so out of love, then we are serving God — and storing up treasure in heaven.

Vincent: Thank you, Claire, for enlightening me. I don’t know what I’d do without you. I love you.

Mother,

teach us always to be faithful —

to our spouse, to our sacrament, and to God —

and to do His will, just as you did.

Blessed and glorious are you, Mother!

Praise be to the Lord forever!a