Jesus said to his disciples,
"A rich man had a steward
who was reported to him for squandering his property. 
He summoned him and said,
'What is this I hear about you? 
Prepare a full account of your stewardship,
because you can no longer be my steward.'
The steward said to himself, 'What shall I do,
now that my master is taking the position of steward away from me? 
I am not strong enough to dig and I am ashamed to beg. 
I know what I shall do so that,
when I am removed from the stewardship,
they may welcome me into their homes.'
He called in his master's debtors one by one. 
To the first he said,
'How much do you owe my master?'
He replied, 'One hundred measures of olive oil.'
He said to him, 'Here is your promissory note. 
Sit down and quickly write one for fifty.'
Then to another the steward said, 'And you, how much do you owe?'
He replied, 'One hundred kors of wheat.'
The steward said to him, 'Here is your promissory note;
write one for eighty.'
And the master commended that dishonest steward for acting prudently.
"For the children of this world
are more prudent in dealing with their own generation
than are the children of light. 
I tell you, make friends for yourselves with dishonest wealth,
so that when it fails, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.
The person who is trustworthy in very small matters
is also trustworthy in great ones;
and the person who is dishonest in very small matters
is also dishonest in great ones. 
If, therefore, you are not trustworthy with dishonest wealth,
who will trust you with true wealth? 
If you are not trustworthy with what belongs to another,
who will give you what is yours? 
No servant can serve two masters. 
He will either hate one and love the other,
or be devoted to one and despise the other. 
You cannot serve both God and mammon."

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

You might find it surprising, but I’ve been watching the television coverage of the ceremonies surrounding the passing of Queen Elizabeth II. It’s a real historical moment, truly the end of an era.

If you have tuned in, the ceremonies and the language might appear antiquated or old-fashioned, but we must admit there is a certain charm to it. We might also be surprised how often God is referenced in the ceremonies. Maybe they reflect a time when nations remembered that even the grandest King or Queen was, at the end of the day, a subject of God’s kingdom, a mere mortal and one in need of prayer.

Obviously, the British system is very different from ours here in the USA. For example, in England, there is an established church, whereas here, we often talk about the separation of church and state. It seems appropriate now to recognize that we are talking about freedom of religion, not freedom from religion!

 Although we don’t have an established church or religion in this country, we are still called to pray for those in leadership. This is not an endorsement but a hope we can make a difference through “supplications, prayers, [and] petitions” (1 Timothy 2:1). In fact, that’s the most powerful thing we can do! God hears our prayers, and through them, he can change hearts, turn situations around, and even bring good out from the midst of evil.

Just as importantly, those prayers can change us. Sometimes we get into an unhealthy pattern of reacting with anger or resentment when we read the news. Then we risk hardening our hearts toward anyone who disagrees with our own views. But when we turn to God, he will show us what to pray for. He will also help us realize how much he loves all people, even those we might consider our “enemies.”

Next time you find yourself angry about a situation, try to let go of the anger and pray instead. The more you do this, the more you’ll find your own heart softening. Not only that, but one prayer at a time, you’ll do your part to change the world.

With Love and Blessings,

Fr Damian

This is a recording of Bishop Barron from the earliest days of Word on Fire - when his talks were just on the radio from his days as a priest in Chicago.  Despite that, it's right on point for today's Gospel.