Walking with Jesus: 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time

For Sunday, September 21, 2025

Amos 8:4-7, 1 Timothy 2:1-8, Luke 16:1-13


Many years ago, a student of mine was killed by a drunk driver going back to college. He had met his bride-to-be for lunch and her assignment was to call me to see if I would officiate at their wedding. I saved the obituary for years. One day that obituary fell on the rug upside-down and I saw the saddest picture of a mother in an impoverished country feeding her newborn. The caption said she had twins but only enough milk for one. I called her the madonna of the poor. It brings us a fundamental, essential question: The right to life includes more than questions about reproduction or war or capital punishment. It means all have a right to eat, to be clothed, to be sheltered, to be nourished — because we live in a world of plenty. But is this available for all? How much and what quality of food do we have a right to claim when others who also have the right to eat don't have enough to live on? How many changes of clothes do we have a right to when others who have the right to be clothed go naked? What about shelter — how elaborate a home do we have a right to when others who have the right to shelter are homeless? How much beauty do we have a right to when others live in squalor? These are ageless questions that we think about sometimes, but often they fade away and we say “well, I worked hard for all this and I deserve them.” Others might think people have no right to lean this “heavily” on them. The questions remain unanswered … not thought about … avoided ... because of guilt, maybe? Or are these merely eternal questions to which we don't need to respond?

Well, let's see what the readings have to say.

Amos the prophet was speaking very forcefully and authoritatively: “You who trample upon the needy and destroy the poor of the land.” [Amos 8:4] The prophet is chastising merchants in Israel who are upset because holidays, holy days and days of rest are keeping them from making more profits. When I was growing up, I remember disputes where communities would object to businesses being open on Sundays. This just doesn’t seem to get people riled today. And Amos maintains that merchants cheat their clients with dishonest practices that violate the law. [Leviticus 19:35-36: “Do not act dishonestly in using measures of length or weight or capacity. You shall have a true scale and true weights.” Deuteronomy 25:13-15: “You shall not keep two differing weights in your bag, one heavy and the other light … so that you may have a long life on the land the Lord your God is giving you.”]

Amos is giving a wonderful interpretation of God’s law, implying that “The Lord will never forget a thing they [we] have done.” Another question is: Why do we want to forgive ourselves or feel that we are the exception to the rule, and that somehow this dishonesty — this sin — this moral description — just doesn’t apply to us?

Writing under Paul’s tutelage, 1 Timothy emphasizes God’s continued impulse to save all: Salvation comes through Jesus “who gave Himself as ransom for all.” [1Timothy 2:6] Now, a “ransom” was a payment made to free a slave. So Timothy is designating Jesus as the means that tests us from being a servant to Satan and sin. Since God desires ALL to be saved and be in heaven with the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit, then we — you and I — must pray that God’s will is done. This means, do I pray for those who make life miserable for me? I pray for the person God has chosen to help me see — to be aware of God’s love — so they will have love examples — heroes — who have given witness to God’s total love. Do I?

The Gospel cites the example of the steward who dishonestly manages his master’s property … and Luke/Jesus highlights especially what happens when he gets caught so that he won’t be tossed out and be homeless. Surprisingly, his shrewdness impresses his master, even though he has intentionally squandered his master’s property. But look how he does it: He goes to those who owe him money, goods, supplies — and cuts what they owe. Is this legal? Is it praiseworthy? Well, we go back to Amos who is trying to “level the playing field” between those with wealth and those with debt. Who would help the poorer ones? Do I?

What are some thoughts we receive from the writers about God? Since God knows us intimately, He sees each of us according to our situation. He never asks us to do more than we are able, and He doesn't often ask us to do less than we are able. God is a loving Father, not a stern taskmaster wishing to punish us. He has given us the Holy Spirit to help us discern the needs and places where we can help the poor. What's my response? 

So I reflect on:

• A great example story is St. Peter. Jesus gave him the “position” of leader of the Church … he was to be the ROCK … he denied Jesus three times … and Jesus did not take the keys away from him. Rather, Jesus forgave Peter and continued to teach him and strengthen him. All this worked over time ... same as me, same as you. Are WE grateful?

Sacred Space 2025 states:

“It has been said that how you do anything is how you do everything. This is so true in how we do the little things and mirror this in doing the big things. So many people became criminals because of bad decisions they made while growing up. We pray to be faithful in the little things and then the bigger things will take care of themselves.

“If we are faced with a choice between God or wealth, God must always come first as He can never take second place.”