In this Sunday\u2019s gospel, Jesus praises not dishonesty but urgency and wisdom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
During this Season of Creation, we are reminded that we are stewards\u2014not owners\u2014of God\u2019s gifts. Even small actions like reducing waste, planting a tree, or choosing kindness over convenience can become acts of love for God, for others, and for the earth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Nikki Malunas, a long-time member of St. Gabriel’s Passionist Parish in Toronto, Ontario, shares her reflection on the parable of the dishonest manager, urging us to act with urgency, wisdom, and integrity as faithful stewards of creation during the Season of Creation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Watch the full reflection:<\/p>\n\n\n\n In this gospel reading from Luke, we encounter a rather odd parable from Jesus: the story of the dishonest manager. This manager has failed in his role, having mismanaged his master\u2019s property. But instead of panicking at the thought of losing his position, he quickly takes action. He goes to those who owe his master and reduces their debts, hoping that by doing so they might return the favor when he is in need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is an interesting parable. The manager isn\u2019t praised for his dishonesty; rather, he\u2019s praised for his shrewdness\u2014for his quick thinking and his creative, urgent response to a crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We too are living in a time of crisis. The earth is under pressure. The climate is changing rapidly. Consumerism is at a high and the gap between rich and poor continues to widen. This moment calls not only for urgency, but for urgency rooted in wisdom and faithfulness during this Season of Creation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This gospel invites us to reflect on what we do with what we\u2019ve been given. The manager didn\u2019t own the resources\u2014he was entrusted with them. And so are we.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We have been entrusted with time, money, relationships, talents, and most importantly, creation itself. As stewards, if we are to seek peace with creation, we must begin by recognizing that the earth is not ours to exploit, but ours to care for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I\u2019ve had the privilege of attending the last two World Youth Day gatherings\u2014in Lisbon in 2023 and in Panama City in 2019. While each experience was filled with unforgettable moments, what stood out most to me was the beautiful communal sharing among the pilgrims.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Whether it was walking two hours together instead of taking a taxi, sharing snacks or water, lending a sleeping bag, or setting aside extra food for families in need, these small acts spoke volumes. They embodied the kind of witness that Pope Francis has encouraged in us as young adults for many years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In his most recent message for the Season of Creation, Pope Francis reminded us that the earth is entrusted to our care, yet continues to belong to God. It\u2019s easy to feel overwhelmed by the scale of the climate crisis. We might feel powerless.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But Jesus reminds us in this Sunday\u2019s gospel: \u201cWhoever is faithful in very little will be faithful in much.\u201d That means our small actions matter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Choosing to reduce waste, walking or biking instead of driving, supporting local and sustainable businesses, educating ourselves, or advocating for policies that protect the vulnerable and our planet\u2014all these small steps become acts of love. They are ways we serve God by serving others, especially the poor, the voiceless, and the earth itself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Passionist charism calls us to remember the Passion of Christ not only as a past event, but as a present reality. Christ is crucified today in those who suffer. And creation is among the crucified. The cry of the earth is the cry of the crucified, and it calls us to respond with compassion, love, and courage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In this gospel, Jesus ends with a stark truth: you cannot serve both God and wealth. We must choose between serving systems of greed and destruction or serving the God of life who calls us to live differently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So we ask: what has been entrusted to you? What small action can we take this week\u2014in our homes, our parishes, and our daily lives\u2014to live more in harmony with creation?<\/p>\n\n\n\n This parable reminds us that we are not owners. We are stewards. And what we do with what we\u2019ve been given, especially now, tells the truth about whom we serve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n May we, like the manager, act with wisdom\u2014but unlike him, may we do so with integrity, urgency, and love for all creation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n During this Season of Creation, may the Spirit fill us with joy to be faithful stewards, with clarity to act wisely and boldly, and with love to seek peace with creation\u2014not someday, but today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And may the Passion of Jesus Christ, who suffered to bring healing to the world, inspire us to be better stewards of the earth as we foster peace in our world.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Nikki Malunas shares her reflection on the parable of the dishonest manager, urging us to act with urgency, wisdom, and integrity as faithful stewards of creation during the Season of Creation.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":6901,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_EventAllDay":false,"_EventTimezone":"","_EventStartDate":"","_EventEndDate":"","_EventStartDateUTC":"","_EventEndDateUTC":"","_EventShowMap":false,"_EventShowMapLink":false,"_EventURL":"","_EventCost":"","_EventCostDescription":"","_EventCurrencySymbol":"","_EventCurrencyCode":"","_EventCurrencyPosition":"","_EventDateTimeSeparator":"","_EventTimeRangeSeparator":"","_EventOrganizerID":[],"_EventVenueID":[],"_OrganizerEmail":"","_OrganizerPhone":"","_OrganizerWebsite":"","_VenueAddress":"","_VenueCity":"","_VenueCountry":"","_VenueProvince":"","_VenueState":"","_VenueZip":"","_VenuePhone":"","_VenueURL":"","_VenueStateProvince":"","_VenueLat":"","_VenueLng":"","_VenueShowMap":false,"_VenueShowMapLink":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[50],"tags":[28,110,150,45],"coauthors":[166],"class_list":["post-7444","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-reflections","tag-laudato-si","tag-season-of-creation","tag-soc2025","tag-videos"],"blocksy_meta":{"styles_descriptor":{"styles":{"desktop":"","tablet":"","mobile":""},"google_fonts":[],"version":8}},"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nTranscript<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The Odd Parable of the Dishonest Manager<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Living in a Time of Crisis<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Stewards, Not Owners<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Witness at World Youth Day<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Small Actions Matter<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The Passion and the Cry of Creation<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Choosing Whom We Serve<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Faithful Stewards Today<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n