The Unjust Steward

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Today's Gospel lesson tells us about a manager who totally mismanaged his master's household. He was charged with wasting his master's possessions, and was about to be fired. This manager was too weak to to manual labor, and too proud or ashamed to beg, so he came up with a scheme to make allies among his master's business associates, so that when his master fired him, he would have a place to turn for help. He called in each person who owed his master money or goods, and he reduced their debt substantially. This already unjust manager defrauded his master even more in his attempt to save his own skin! However, the master commended him for his shrewdness and foresight.

The Sheep and the Coin

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

“The Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” According to Luke's gospel, this is the mission of Jesus. The parables in today's lesson teach us more about Jesus' work of seeking and saving the lost.

The first parable tells of a shepherd who has a hundred sheep. One gets lost, and the shepherd leaves the ninety-nine and goes in search of the one lost one. When he finds it, he hoists it up on his shoulders and brings it back to the flock. Then he calls for rejoicing because the lost one is found. Likewise, Jesus says, “There will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.”