Title: Twenty Fifth Sunday Year C

BE SHREWD IN MATTERS PARTAING TO GOD AND THE WORLD.

RECAP:-  

• Last Sunday we reflected on how Israel behaved towards God after their Liberation from Slavery. Instead of Adoring God they Adored a Molten Calf.
• We also saw how the younger Son after receiving his share of his father's Estate, behaved. But like Paul, through the Grace of God He received Conversion
• We were left with a challenge as to whether today it is only one sheep which has gone astray or it is the 99 which have gone astray? And the Challenge of Selfishness and Self-rightiousness. 

HOMILY:-

Today's readings calls us to take seriously our Relationship with others and  how material things may influence that relationship. What is our "Project De Vie?. The Prophet Amos writing about the 8th Century B.C, observes a prosperous society. But how they became rich was a result of using the God given gifts of intelligence to exploit the poor and needy of their Society.

The question which could be posed given a democracy like ours, given a nation which boasts of equal opportunity etc, is this. Is Amos relevant to us today? Are the Scripture readings a reality today? I don't have to give you the answer straight forward. Just take a moment and analyse the businesses around your area and other areas. I have in mind Baltimore. Are they Profit oriented? Do they look for profit at any cost? Is the profit so sought for the benefit and Service of others (Common good) or for themselves? You may appreciate the article in the Baltimore Sun of Thurday Sept. 20, 2007 Business section, entitled "Poor Pay more for City living". Our tax system, our welfare system, our wage system, the children toys saga and many more all are challenged by Amos today.  The prophet Amos is challenging all those who hypocritically observe the Sabbath, (Sunday, Saturday or Friday) and then go out and proceed to trample on the needy and destroy the poor for their own greedy profits. The same hypocricy Mzee Jomo Kenyatta writes about in his book Facing Mount Kenya "They came with the Bible on one hand and took our land with the other".

In the Gospel Jesus exposes how the children of the world are Clever in business dealings for their own worldly benefits. Individuals are influenced by Political and Economic systems and structures which are driven by the spirit of self interest and profit. Many individuals then use all means to benefit themselves and thus we can appreciate the extent of crime in our areas. Getting ahead others, making money quickly, having more and more. All these lead to the decay we see in our neighborhoods. Jesus is calling us to use the same astutness we use in dealing with Wordly matters to gain what really matters - ETERNAL SALVATION (LIFE).

The word of God is constanly reminding us that matterial prosperity should not take the place of God. We are only the stewards of and never the owners of what we posses. What we posses should be for building the Kingdom of God where all will be able to experience God's Blessings. We can not use it the way we like. Both Individuals and Groups should use the God given gifts of inteligence and creativity in their use of money and the goods of the World for the right purpose, that is in the service of God as we serve our neighbor especially the Poor and need.

So we join St. Paul's call, to have a critical co-operation with Civil and religious Leaders. To pray for them that they may use the authority entrusted to them for the well being of every Person in the Community, so that society can "lead a quiet and tranquil life in all divotion and Dignity"  as St.Pauls calls us in the Second Reading. Remember that all leaders receive their authority from God and we are instruments of God in this. So we have the right to vote them in or our. Did you take this right in the primiary Elections? Will you take it next time?

"Loving God, guide All your children as you guide all Creation, according to your Law of Love. May all love each other as Christ Loved us and so come to perfection in the Eternal life prepared for all. We Pray through Christ our Lord. AMEN" 

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