In today’s Gospel, Jesus tells a surprising parable about a dishonest steward who, when caught wasting his master’s goods, cleverly arranges to secure his future. He reduces the debts of his master’s debtors so that they might welcome him later. Surprisingly, the master praises him—not for his dishonesty—but for his prudence.

At first glance, this story can be confusing. How can Jesus praise someone who is dishonest? But Jesus is not praising the man’s corruption; He is drawing attention to his cleverness and foresight. The steward acted decisively to prepare for the future. Jesus is telling us that if only the “children of light” were as wise in spiritual matters as the “children of this world” are in worldly affairs!

The parable challenges us to reflect: How prudent are we with the gifts and opportunities God has given us?
We often spend great energy and creativity in earning money, building careers, or securing our material well-being. Yet we sometimes neglect the more important task—preparing for eternal life.

Jesus warns us: “You cannot serve both God and money.” This is not only about wealth—it is about loyalty. Every heart has one master. Either we place our trust in God or in material things. Money itself is not evil; in fact, Jesus calls it “dishonest wealth” because it belongs to a world that passes away. What matters is how we use it. Wealth, when used wisely, becomes a means of charity, justice, and friendship. When we use our possessions to help others, we transform material things into spiritual treasures.

Faithful stewardship is at the heart of this Gospel. We are all stewards—not owners—of what we have. Everything is a gift from God: our time, talents, and resources. The question is not how much we possess, but how faithfully we use what we have been given.

Let us therefore learn from the steward’s prudence—but let us direct our cleverness toward heavenly things. Let us invest not only in earthly security, but in the Kingdom of God, where love, mercy, and generosity never lose value.