Wealth is to create friendship and not slavery

Gospel Thoughts

31st Week : Saturday

GOSPEL  Lk 16:9-15

First Reading - Phil 4:10-19

*Make friends for yourselves with dishonest wealth*

*1)  The purpose of the Wealth*

Jesus says that the purpose of the wealth is to make friendship. 

Wealth is not meant for enjoying ones life in a selfish way without having any reference to the others. 

So wealth is not meant for, controlling some one, to show ones power, to threaten the weak, to influence some one for selfish motives and to hoard it with greed. 

*2) If the wealth has to create friendship it has has to be shared*

Friendship is a special relationship, where people help each other, show concern to each other and love each other. 

This special relationship between friends, demands that they share among themselves whatever they have 

Since *a friend in need is a friend indeed* they have to share with each other whatever they have.

*3) Only with sharing one can create friendship*

Without sharing there is no friendship. Sharing is the foundation of friendship. 

Friendship and sharing go hand in hand. In fact friendship is for sharing . 

So when Jesus says,

*make friends for yourselves with dishonest wealth* it demands that one is suppose to share with another. 

*4) What is my Wealth*

The concept of wealth can have varieties of meaning. 

The first popular meaning of the wealth represents the money, gold, property, material things etc. This is one and narrow understanding of the wealth. Beyond this this there is a deeper meaning of the wealth. 

My knowledge is my wealth

My health is my wealth

My courage is my wealth

My intelligence is my wealth

My leadership quality is my wealth

My peace of mind is my wealth

My influence is my wealth 

My intuition is my wealth 

My skills and talents is my wealth

My position and status is my wealth 

My good way of life is my wealth 

My family life, religious life is my wealth 

My spiritual life is my wealth 

Only by sharing these wealth, we can create friendship. When we refuse to share this wealth, we fail to create the friendship, and we waste of our by not using it.

*5) Without sharing the wealth becomes useless*

Unshared wealth is useless and it is as good as not having at all. 

Unshared wealth loses its very meaning and purpose, because all wealth ultimately comes from God. 

Am I ready to share my wealth, to create friendship? 

Wealth is dishonest because it does not last forever

Friendship is a relationship, which lasts forever, lasts for etern

*God bless you and your family. Praying for you and your dear ones*

*Fr Maxim Dsouza*

*Jeppu Seminary*

*Mangalore*