Photo by Milo Miloezger on unsplash
Karen Hollis | September 21, 2025 Pentecost 15
Luke 16:1-13 Jesus told this story to his disciples: “There was a certain rich man who had a manager handling his affairs. One day a report came that the manager was wasting his employer’s money. So the employer called him in and said, ‘What’s this I hear about you? Get your report in order, because you are going to be fired.’ “The manager thought to himself, ‘Now what? My boss has fired me. I don’t have the strength to dig ditches, and I’m too proud to beg. Ah, I know how to ensure that I’ll have plenty of friends who will give me a home when I am fired.’
“So he invited each person who owed money to his employer to come and discuss the situation. He asked the first one, ‘How much do you owe him?’ The man replied, ‘I owe him 800 gallons of olive oil.’ So the manager told him, ‘Take the bill and quickly change it to 400 gallons.’ “‘And how much do you owe my employer?’ he asked the next man. ‘I owe him 1,000 bushels of wheat,’ was the reply. ‘Here,’ the manager said, ‘take the bill and change it to 800 bushels.’ “The rich man had to admire the dishonest rascal for being so shrewd. And it is true that the children of this world are more shrewd in dealing with the world around them than are the children of the light.
“Here’s the lesson: Use your worldly resources to benefit others and make friends. Then, when your possessions are gone, they will welcome you to an eternal home. “If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities. And if you are untrustworthy about worldly wealth, who will trust you with the true riches of heaven? And if you are not faithful with other people’s things, why should you be trusted with things of your own?
“No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money.”
May the words of my mouth and the meditations of all our hearts be reflections of your word to us today, in Christ’s name we pray. Amen
After reading this parable I found a quote from a wonderful biblical scholar, Amy Jill Levine. She says parables are supposed to provoke us! This one certainly provoked me – not on the surface, but somewhere deep inside. Maybe you too. Perhaps there’s a line that hooked you in some way or you noticed different pieces of the story that didn’t seem to hang together. If you’re just confused, you’re not alone. This story has confounded scholars and preachers and lay people alike. Do you know who it hasn’t confounded? Peasants. It’s all about perspective.
There’s a 1976 book called The Gospel in Solentiname (so-len-tin-a-me). This book documents actual conversations between a group of peasants in a Bible study, led by liberation theologian Ernesto Cardenal in Solentiname (so-len-tin-a-me), Nicaragua, during the Somoza dictatorship.1 After reading today’s parable, the group observed that “rich people’s money is stolen money and that-stolen-money they ought to give to the poor.”2
They praised the manager for giving back some of what was due to the people, and for doing it in a way that earned friendship.
One member of the group argued that both the manager and the rich man in the story were only managers of the money, since their money was stolen from the people who worked for it. “The owner of the wealth (he says) is God or the people, which is the same thing, but not the rich.”3 The owner of the wealth is God or the people, which is the same thing.
Does this idea explode your mind a little? It did mine. As I thought about it, where does the wealth come from? It ultimately comes from the land . . . it comes from creation . . . brought forth by human hands (and human made machines) . . . so it really belongs to creation. And the people, the collective, are part of creation . . . those who have stored it up are merely managing it. I’m moved to ask the question: is that wealth ultimately more valuable in the land or in the form of currency? And which is more sustainable?
I told you this parable is a doozy. According to Amy-Jill Levine, “What makes the parables mysterious, or difficult, is that they challenge us to look into the hidden aspects of our own values, our own lives. They bring to the surface unasked questions, and they reveal the answers we have always known, but refuse to acknowledge.” Or perhaps haven’t yet had the courage to acknowledge.
It’s easy for us to look at the text and casually say I don’t get it and not push any further – I’ve done it many times – the world is shifting. This is a time for sticking with it, exploring deep within us, seeking different perspectives and noticing the stuff that’s sifting to the surface that we didn’t see before.
I think the shift started with COVID. A couple of things happened during those years. Many of us had a long break . . . those of us who were not front-line workers were basically home for a year and were able to look at the world and our lives in it from a slightly different vantage point. Theologian Sally McFague calls this Wild Space, the ability to gain perspective on something by being just outside of it. During those years, we got this meta perspective.
Another thing happened in this Wild Space. Some people said, I’m not going to work for minimum wage anymore, doing something that doesn’t bring me life or joy. People had a moment to stop, reflect, see other possibilities, and had some time, space, resources to build careers more in alignment with their heart. Well established businesses began to have trouble filling positions. We lived on Gabriola at the time and there were many days where the ferry was backed up because they only had staff enough for one boat.
Bringing us back to today, we are now experiencing these global shifts, changes in relationships between countries, and norms eroding with our neighbours to the south. People are having different conversations, asking new questions, and insight continues to emerge. The past few years have been a real eye opener.
Here in this time where our view on the world is a little askew, do you hear how Jesus is inviting us in this parable to consider how we’re showing up and navigating the world? How he’s inviting us to consider the alignment of our values and our actions? If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. Jesus holds up a mirror to us. Are we in alignment with ourselves – our minds, hearts, intentions, actions? Are we aligned with Jesus? Even in the little moments of life?
In this space where Christ brings a peace that leads to healing and wholeness, we’re invited to look, not with a critical eye, but with an honest and loving one.
Jesus teaches that the way-we-navigate this physical creation matters. (And of course we know this.) He says our actions tell us something about who we are and also what we’re ready for. Reflecting on our actions can tell us what our human work is, where our learning is. Sometimes we talk about our collective work, but this individual. We have a few minutes now during Open Space to do some reflecting.
During this time you’re welcome to move around the space or remain in your seat. Marni will be playing quietly.
light candles
slip rocks into water with your prayers
receive anointing for healing
handout: guided reflection with the text
questions for reflection:
What do you think of the statement: "the owner of wealth is God, or the people, which is the same thing"?
What does it look like in your life to love God above all else?
1 enfleshed Sept 21, 2025
2 The Gospel in Solentiname
3 The Gospel in Solentiname