“OUR PRESENCE SPEAKS”

“OUR PRESENCE SPEAKS”

A Biblico-Theological Reflection (Luke 16:1-13; 1 Timothy 2:1-7)

By Rev. Jeric C. Cortado, September 18, 2016

Our gospel lesson reminds me about the conversation of the father and his elder son in the Parable of the Lost Son (Luke 15:3). The father said to his son who got angry and humiliated him, “My son, you are always here with me, and everything I have is yours.” This particular statement of the father reminds us the account as described by Luke (3:21-22), “After all the people had been baptized, Jesus also was baptized.…. the Holy Spirit came down upon him….and a voice came from heaven, ‘You are my own dear son, I am pleased with you.’” What is pleasing to God then is that Jesus immersed himself to the will of God. Immersed in the realities, dreams and struggles of the people during the Greco-Roman world – to empower the people as being poured out by the Spirit of God. Let them realized how powerful they are if they work together in confronting the oppressive power of that time (Luke 3:16-17). God is pleased to him as God’s son who truly manifest God’s presence, love and power that Jesus wanted to embrace it by his disciples. The conversation of the father and the elder son, “you are always here with me, and everything I have is yours” is a statement describing our relationship with God as sons and daughters. In this sense, and as heirs we become the manifestation of God’s presence, love and grace. Wherever we go, whatever we do, and whenever we exist, God gave us the assurance, “everything I have is yours.”

First, “everything I have is yours” means we are precious in the sight of God, we are God’s crown of glory as son and daughters. Thus, our presence reflects God’s transforming and liberating love. Second, “everything I have is yours” also means we are heirs of God’s kingdom as sons and daughters living in God’s household or oikos. And as part of the oikos of God everything entrusted to us by God our parent is expected na pagyamanin upang maging kapakipakinabang sa kanyang kalooban. We are entrusted by God with different gifts, talents, and duties to serve the best interest of God’s creation, the world where we are living in. We are entrusted to become stewards of God’s creation and that all things will serve according to the will of God.

The will of God which is also uttered in the prayer taught by Jesus to his disciples, “Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” is the liberation of the captives, recovery of sight of the blind in the realities of life, freedom of the oppress, salvation of God’s people from any form of sinful acts (politically, economically, and culturally) as articulated in Luke 4:18-19. The will of God is the fullness of life that the people should experience and no one will be left. In this sense, whatever possession, talent and gifts entrusted to us is intended for the fullness of life that should be enjoyed by everybody. The very intention of what we have, material possession or skills and capabilities is not for personal benefits and welfare, but for “our sake, well-being and welfare.” This is what Jesus pointed out to his disciples in the parable of the shrewd manager (Luke 16:1-13). The characters of being a disciple should be are challenged to live out.

First, making the responsible stewardship a lifestyle. Gamitin natin ang ipinagkatiwala sa atin ng Diyos hindi upang tayo ay yumaman. Gamitin natin ito upang mapagyaman pa ito. Sa gayon ay mas lalong makapagbigay pa ng pagkakataon na tumugon sa mga hamong napapanahon. Makatulong upang maitaguyod ang kalooban ng Diyos.

Second, going back to the purpose of being a steward. Para sa akin ang ginawa ng mandarayang katiwala ay hindi naman talaga pandaraya kundi pagtutuwid sa kanyang pandaraya. Ginawa niya lang ang tama na dapat sana niyang ginawa sa simula pa lamang na pinagkatiwalaan siya. The parable is not about dishonesty and shrewdness of the steward, the fact that in the gospel Jesus condemned it, as stated in Luke 16:10, “Whoever is faithful in small matters will be faithful in large ones; whoever is dishonest in the small matters will be dishonest in the larger ones.” It is about going back to the purpose of being a steward.

Third, living out the attitudes of resourcefulness as we confront the challenges of our time. We are called to be engaging and liberating, enlightening and empowering, life giving and other affirming. As Jesus instructed to his disciples, “Gamitin ninyo sa pakikipagkapwa ang kayamanan ng sanlibutang ito” (Luke 16:9). Sa Kristiyanong perspektiba, ang kaibigan ay kapwang iniibig at pinahahalagahan sa pangalan ni Cristo at ayon sa pamantayan ni Cristo. Gamitin natin sa paglilingkod sa Diyos at sa kapwa ang anumang yaman, talento, at kakayanan mayroon tayo.

Sa gayon ay maitaguyod ang niloloob ng Diyos na isang bayang mapagkakatiwalaan sa malaki at maliit na bagay. Isang komunidad na mulat sa kahaharaping hamon ngayon at sa hinaharap, resourceful at nagkakaisa. Let us make our presence speaks the right time of God through Christ Jesus to save, redeem, and liberate the people. The time to make disciples of Jesus journeying or struggling together for the transformation of the world (1 Timothy 2:7). Amen.