ZEAL

ZEAL -25^th Sunday Ordinary Time, Year C

            Jesus observed the zeal of people in various fields of life. He made a parable about a rich man’s manager to encourage His disciples to be as zealous in the works of God as many are for the world’s works.

We have many examples from every field, sports, business, entertainment, politics, the professions, of people who put forth extraordinary zeal in their work. We see lawyers working with great zeal to defend the guilty as well as the innocent. We see the zeal of those who have to give an account of themselves, and how cleverly, competently, and zealously they work. Many sacrifice their health, families, time, values, morals, and even their souls. Some began using drugs to increase their energy. Some zealous individuals begin to steal, so that “white collar” (not roman collar) crime is greater than the other kinds of stealing.

            While we cannot condone greed and dishonest means of the neglect of one’s spiritual life, health, and human relationships in pursuit of worldly goals even in honest ways, we can learn a lesson in how to be enterprising and zealous for the works of God and His kingdom from the worldly zealous. The enterprise and zeal of those seeking worldly pursuits often puts the enterprise, initiative and zeal of those working for God’s kingdom to shame.

            Dishonest practices are not to be imitated. The zeal and enterprise can be imitated for honest work for the reign of God. The stress is not on what the dishonest servant did, but on his zeal and cleverness in dealing with a crisis situation to provide for his earthly future. When he heard he was to be investigated and had to give an account of his work, he considered what he needed to do. “…What shall I do, now that my master is taking the position of steward away from me? I am not strong enough to dig and I am ashamed to beg. I know what I shall do so that, when I am removed from the stewardship they may welcome me into their homes.”

            His solution was not necessarily dishonest. He called in his master’s debtors, and reduced their outstanding bills. They were able to pay their accounts. Perhaps he had been overcharging them before, or he simply reduced his profits. They call those sales or incentives today. The owner from a distance would not know or care to know everything about how his stewards were managing his property or even if he was ripping off the customers or doing what they did in the days of Amos in 900 B.C. by fixing the “…scales for cheating”! He would only be concerned with the bottom line. “And the master commended that dishonest steward for acting prudently. For the children of this world are more prudent in dealing with their own generation than are the children of light.”

            The Lord calls us to be enterprising for His kingdom. We have more reasons. The works of the kingdom are greater, lasting and involve the salvation of the whole world. The Lord “…wills everyone to be saved and to come to knowledge of the truth”.

            The Lord asks: “Couldn’t my disciples show at least as much zeal for my works as people do for worldly works? Some show more zeal for the works of sin and darkness than my disciples do for the works of life and light”. May the Lord give us zeal for Him!

Divine Mercy Reflection #121

“A soul that is united with God must be prepared for great and hard-fought battles.”