11 Nov 2017. Saturday, Week 31

Saint Martin of Tours

1st Reading: Romans 16:3-9, 22-27

Greeting Paul’s co-workers, and praise of God’s unfolding plan

Greet Prisca and Aquila, who work with me in Christ Jesus, and who risked their necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles. Greet also the church in their house. Greet my beloved Epaenetus, who was the first convert in Asia for Christ. Greet Mary, who has worked very hard among you. Greet Andronicus and Junia, my relatives who were in prison with me; they are prominent among the apostles, and they were in Christ before I was. Greet Ampliatus, my beloved in the Lord. Greet Urbanus, our co-worker in Christ, and my beloved Stachys.

Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ greet you. I Tertius, the writer of this letter, greet you in the Lord. Gaius, who is host to me and to the whole church, greets you. Erastus, the city treasurer, and our brother Quartus, greet you.

Now to God who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages but is now disclosed, and through the prophetic writings is made known to all the Gentiles, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith, to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever! Amen.

Gospel: Luke 16:9-15

Maxims about worldly goods and the service of God

Jesus said to his disciples, “I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of dishonest wealth so that when it is gone, they may welcome you into the eternal homes.

“Whoever is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much; and whoever is dishonest in a very little is dishonest also in much. If then you have not been faithful with the dishonest wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches? And if you have not been faithful with what belongs to another, who will give you what is your own? No slave can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.”

The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all this, and they ridiculed him. So he said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves in the sight of others; but God knows your heats; for what is prized by human beings is an abomination in the sight of God.

Others as co-workers

The many colleagues named and praised by Paul in the final chapter of Romans shows how much he valued the input of others to the success of his own work. The list begins with Prisca and Aquila who risked their lives for the sake of mine. It was in their house that the Christian congregation in Corinth met for prayer. Then he names the beloved Epaenetus, first fruits of his mission in Asia; Mary “who worked hard for you;” a married couple named Adronicus and Junias, whom he calls “fellow prisoners, outstanding apostles.” Then there is a fleeting glimpse of Tertius, Paul’s secretary, who actually penned the letter, and inserts his personal greeting before Paul mentions the last three names, “Gaius, and Erastus, and our brother Quartus.”

Clearly Paul did not see ministry as a one-man show but believed in team ministry. He warmly endorsed the gifts and talents of many others. Nor was Paul in any way a misogynist. In this list women receive as much attention as they do in Luke’s gospel. In naming Prisca and Aquila as his co-workers, Paul names the woman first, she who risked her life for his sake. He praises the hard work of Mary and of Junia, whom he calls an outstanding apostle. The endorsement of these co-workers is highly significant, at the end of Paul’s most elaborate, theological explanation of the gospel. It points a way to expanding the concept of ministry, and may play a big part in resolving what only appears to be a crisis of ecclesial vocations.

Our gospel, as in the preceding days, tells us unambiguously to make good use of this world’s goods. If we are faithful in these matters, we can be trusted in greater things. But the lesson is not to be the slave of money… and that in financial matters, very often what humans think important, God holds in contempt.

Using money well

Saint Paul once wrote that money is the root of all evil (1 Tim 6:10). But what concerns Jesus is not money in itself but rather the use we make of money. He advises, “use money, tainted as it is, to win you friends, and thus make sure that when it fails you, they will welcome you into the tents of eternity.” It’s interesting how he uses the language of trust in relation to money. It is something that we are meant to use well, and if we show ourselves trustworthy by using it well, then later we will be blessed with genuine riches, the riches of eternal life.

More important than our possessions is what we do with what we own. Whatever resources come our way are meant, at least in part, for the service of others. The gospel challenges us every day to use generously what we have, and that includes not only our material possessions, but our gifts, talents, experience and our time. We all have much that can benefit others, if only we are willing to share it.

Saint Martin of Tours, bishop

Martin (316-397) was born in Pannonia (now Hungary), where his father was a senior cavalry officer in the Roman army. When Martin was conscripted he too joined the cavalry, but finding army life incompatible with his faith he made his way to France, where he was so esteemed by his fellow Christians that they elected him bishop of Tours. There is a story him using his sword to cut his cloak in two, to give half to a beggar clad only in rags in the depth of winter. His life as recorded by Sulpicius Severus, included many miracles, and throughout the middle ages Martin’s shrine in Tours was a pilgrimage stopping-point en route for Compostela in Spain.