Faithful and Prudent Steward

Wisdom 18:6-9, Psalm 33, Hebrews 11:1-2, 8-19, Luke 12:32-48

Last Sunday, we came across the word “Greed.” Greed is not only a vice but also listed as one of the capital sins together with pride, lust, envy, gluttony, wrath (anger) and sloth. It is the excessive desire for material things. It is a sin against Christian charity and generosity. Today, the keyword is prudence. Prudence is one of the four cardinal virtues together with justice, fortitude and temperance. It is a virtue that enables a person to discern the appropriate course of action in any situation and to act accordingly. It is knowing the right thing to do at the right time and doing it. The Angelic Doctor Thomas Aquinas describes it as right reason applied to action.

In Today’s gospel, the Master Jesus says “Who, then, is the faithful and prudent steward whom the master will put in charge of his servants to distribute the food allowance at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master on arrival finds doing so.”

Three key words are helpful here: faithful, prudent and steward. To put in proper perspectives, as God’s children, we are all stewards. Remember the Genesis account of creation when God entrusted to man the care of the entire creation (cf. Gen 1:28-30). That makes you and I, stewards. Some biblical translations use the word, administrator.

Now the question today is: are we faithful and prudent stewards? Do we realize that someday an account will be demanded of our stewardship? Or do we act like the steward of the gospel who went about mismanaging, embezzling, maltreating and saying, ok, I’m now the Boss, I do whatever I like?

Prudence as a virtue always keeps us alert, enabling us to act as responsible stewards and administrators of all the things and people placed in our charge. It reminds us to be always on alert. The virtue of prudence helps us to stay awake and be ready! For we do not know on what day the Lord will come. Blessed are those servants whom the master finds vigilant on his arrival.