September 21, 2025 – Twenty-Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Things to talk about:

• Jesus talks about people who are dishonest or do not tell the truth. Share a time when someone lied to you. How did that make you feel?
• What does it mean to be trustworthy? Why does God want us to be trustworthy?
• What does the story of the unjust steward teach you about Jesus’ relationship with us?
• Jesus also talks about the fact that we cannot serve God and mammon, which means wealth or money. If someone is obsessed with getting rich and material things, why is it hard for him/her to serve God?

Things to do:

• Build a Bank – Jesus talks about debt and wealth. This activity will help you be better stewards of your resources. Find a container that you can decorate (old can, sturdy box, etc.). Cut a slit in the top that is big enough for a quarter. Decorate the container with paint, stickers, felt, etc. OR search the Internet for piggy bank ideas. Put one coin in the container for each member of your family. Put money in it regularly to donate to your parish or a charity.
• This is a good week to reflect on what we need to do to inherit the kingdom. Do I always put God first or do I allow other things to distract me? Do I make time to pray (be in a relationship with God) and worship? Do activities conflict with time for Church? Do I keep God’s name holy? How can I challenge myself to be trustworthy at home? work? school? with friends?
• The vessels that are used during the Liturgy of the Eucharist are kept on a special side table until the priest is ready to use them at Mass. This table is called the Credence Table. Locate the one at our church. (Hint, you should see it as you enter the Church, in front of the reardos (big wall.)).
• We are reminded of the importance of being truthful. Try to go the whole week without telling a single lie.

Closing Prayer

We adore you O Christ and praise you.

Because by your holy cross, you have redeemed the world. Amen.

Name those who need our prayers. Close with the Sign of the Cross.

Catholic Insights

To inherit the kingdom of God means to follow Jesus’ teachings about loving God, putting God first and truly loving our neighbor. Jesus talks in today’s Gospel about being trustworthy which can be challenging in our every day lives. Honesty and responsibility are not always valued above getting ahead and getting out of trouble. Jesus asks us to make a choice. Will we do what gets us ahead in this world or what gets us to eternal life.

This Gospel has so many teachings. First the dishonest steward was unjust, fired, but not put in jail by the Master. The steward realizes the Master is merciful by not having him jailed. He schemes to enamor the renters by reducing debts owed the Master, assuring that his impending dire situation, will be taken care of because of his kindness to the renters.

Mercy and generosity were considered signs of integrity in that society. Had the master voided the deal made by the steward he would not be seen as a man of integrity, generosity and mercy. The Hebrew Scriptures understood wisdom as an instinct for taking care of one’s self. The steward was the epitome of such wisdom. The master therefore rightly called him a wise man. The parable reminds us of God’s incredible mercy in the midst of human
hopelessness.

This is known as a “so much more” parable. If an unjust steward can creatively secure his future by manipulating material wealth, so too should disciples be as creative and use the wealth of this world to build the kingdom. It is an issue of stewardship.

Jesus has three teachings in this parable:

• Be prudent about the use of wealth; balance the affairs of temporal life with an eye toward eternal life
• Trustworthiness – those who can be trusted in small things can also be trusted in great things. If we handle money and materials things responsibly, then we can also be trusted with the affairs of the Kingdom of God.
• Finally, Jesus tells his listeners that no one can serve two masters simultaneously. God must be put ahead of money.

This week in Alpha we explore “Why did Jesus die?” Jesus died so we can inherit the kingdom. The bottom line of this Gospel is trust. We are called to conversion of heart and trust in our merciful God. We are not saved by our own merit, but we must cooperate with the salvation that has been freely given.

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Did you know….. the first polygraph (commonly known as a lie detector) was created in 1921. A California-based policeman and physiologist, John A. Larson, devised an apparatus to simultaneously measure continuous changes in blood pressure, heart rate and respiration rate to detect if someone was lying.

Resources adapted from 52Sundays.com, Celebrating the Lectionary, At Home with the Word, Celebrating Families, Sunday Connection