The Scandal of Religion

Gospel: Luke 16: 1-8

Today's story of the unjust steward is a continuation of Jesus' teaching yesterday on mercy.  In the parables of the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the Prodigal Son we have the ideal of God's mercy that should inspire us to extend mercy to others in the same way that God has shown mercy on us.  Yet, we often find that religious people are some of the least merciful people we encounter.

So, Jesus gives us the example of this worldly steward.  He has no regard for religion at all.  He extends mercy to other creditors not out of any compassion for them, but because he knows he is about to get fired and is looking to curry favor with others so that they will take him into their employ.  The steward is showing mercy entirely out of self-interest.  His motives are in no way salutary, but Jesus uses his example to highlight the fact that religious people do not show mercy even out of reasons such as these.

Those who are so dead set against loan forgiveness, pathways to citizenship for undocumented persons, and so loudly in favor of the death penalty are religious people.  The most unmerciful and least Biblical positions in our society are put forward by those claiming to follow the Lord Jesus.  Today is a day for us to reflect on what mercy means and how we might apply it in our individual lives and as a larger society of people.