Reflection for November 8 Saturday of the 31st Week in Ordinary Time: Luke 16:9-15

Gospel: Luke 16:9-15

Jesus said to his disciples: “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 God and mammon.”

The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all these things and sneered at him. And he said to them, “You justify yourselves in the sight of others, but God knows your hearts; for what is of human esteem is an abomination in the sight of God.”

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Reflection:

The story is told about a young man who said, “I will work hard to become rich so that when I grow old and retire, I will have all the material wealth I need to sustain myself.” And so, he worked very hard, not minding if he engaged in corruption or stepped on the toes of others just to become rich.

A few days after retiring, he died—and was immediately plucked by the devil, for he had been possessed by his greed for dishonest wealth while he was still alive.

What is dishonest wealth? It includes anything that enslaves us in this world—money, possessions, fame, power, or any desire that takes the place of God in our hearts. These things create in us a false sense of security. We cling to them, thinking they will make us complete and happy, only to discover that they leave us feeling empty and restless. The more we chase after these worldly treasures, the more our hearts become barren and distant from the peace we long for.

But what, then, is honest or true wealth? True wealth is Jesus Himself. If we have Him in our lives, we already possess the greatest treasure anyone could ever have. His presence gives us peace of mind while we are still in this world. His love remains with us beyond this life. And this divine relationship becomes our passage to eternal joy in heaven.

Worldly wealth fades. Power passes. Fame is forgotten. But the wealth that comes from knowing and loving Jesus endures forever. It is a treasure that cannot be stolen, destroyed, or diminished—a wealth that fills our hearts with purpose, peace, and joy that no material thing can ever provide.

Let us then look within our hearts. Are we storing treasures that perish—or treasures that lead us closer to God? Do we truly possess Jesus, our greatest and most enduring wealth? — Marino J. Dasmarinas