“Cooking the books”
God speaks to us all the time. This time of the year is a very busy period for auditors of public sector entities as they try to wrap up their audits so that they can fulfil their accountability obligations to New Zealanders. Our Gospel reading today feels like God talking to me to be on the look out for “those who are cooking their books”.
Our Gospel reading today is a great reminder to us on how God expects us to use our talents and possessions for His glory rather than that of our own. The steward in the Gospel, clearly did not have any Super or Kiwisaver and therefore had to secure his future and ensure his good lifestyle through corrupt ways. We are all called to be kind to one another, not for personal gain, but because we acknowledge that everything we have has come from God and through sharing we are fulfilling God’s call. By being “generous” to his Master’s debtors, albeit for selfish reasons, the steward shows us the importance of building relationships and gaining respect through kindness.
Building relationships with our neighbours is somewhat easy, but how do we do that with God. St Paul in his letter to Timothy writes about the importance of praying and to pray for everyone including our leaders and those in authority. Praying for others is a wonderful opportunity to speak to our Lord and build a relationship with Him. Pope Francis’ five finger prayer is a good reminder to put others first when praying – family, teachers, leaders, the weak and finally ourselves.
In contrast to the rich steward in the Gospel, our first reading reminds us of God’s love for the poor and His condemnation of the dishonest and greedy and those who exploit the poor and vulnerable in our society. We are all called to be attentive to the needs of the poor and vulnerable whether it is through small acts of kindness or larger efforts by giving of our time, talents and treasures. In so dong we can bring to life God’s justice and mercy.
The messages in our readings this Sunday is a reminder that our faith must be based on honesty, prayer and using our God-given resources for the benefit of all.
In conclusion, am I looking out for anyone cooking the books – all the time, because we are all called to be good stewards.
Clint Ramoo
Finance Committee Chair
