LUKE 16:9–13
TRUE RICHES AND THE SERVING OF GOD
Text – Luke 16:9–13
9 I tell you, make friends for yourselves with dishonest wealth, so that when it fails, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.
10 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.
11 If, therefore, you are not trustworthy with dishonest wealth, who will trust you with true wealth?
12 If you are not trustworthy with what belongs to another, who will give you what is yours?
13 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.”
Historical and Jewish Context
“Dishonest wealth” (mammon of unrighteousness) was a common Semitic expression referring not necessarily to stolen money but to earthly, perishable wealth that often leads to temptation or injustice. Wealth was seen as morally dangerous but also useful when employed rightly. In ancient households, servants could not divide allegiance between two masters; their loyalty had to be absolute. Jesus’ teaching would have challenged an audience living in a society where wealth, patronage, and social obligation played influential roles. The expression “eternal dwellings” evokes the hope of the righteous being welcomed into God’s presence.
Catholic Theological Perspective
Jesus teaches that earthly wealth is temporary and must be used wisely for eternal purposes. “Making friends” means using material resources to perform acts of charity, almsgiving, and mercy—actions that prepare the soul for heavenly reward. Catholic theology emphasizes that what we do with our possessions reveals the state of our heart. Faithfulness in small things forms the foundation for receiving greater spiritual responsibilities. True wealth is the life of grace, communion with God, and the treasures stored in heaven. Serving God and serving wealth are incompatible because the heart cannot be divided. Detachment from possessions allows full devotion to God.
Parallels in Scripture
Prv 11:4 – Wealth is useless on the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death.
Mt 6:19–21 – Storing treasures in heaven where they do not decay.
Mt 6:24 – One cannot serve both God and mammon.
1 Tim 6:17–19 – The wealthy are called to generosity to lay hold of true life.
Jas 5:1–5 – Warning against hoarding riches unjustly.
Key Terms
Dishonest wealth – Earthly riches that can tempt or mislead when not used for good.
True wealth – Spiritual riches: grace, virtue, and eternal life.
Trustworthy – Faithfulness in small matters that reflects the heart’s integrity.
Serve – Total allegiance; one cannot divide devotion between God and wealth.
Mammon – A Semitic term for riches personified as a master competing with God.
Catholic Liturgical Significance
This passage appears in weekday liturgies and is integral to the Church’s social teaching on stewardship, moral use of wealth, and preferential love for the poor. It supports catechesis on almsgiving, detachment, and economic justice, especially during Lent and Advent. It also forms part of the spirituality of religious poverty and Christian simplicity of life.
Conclusion
Jesus teaches that wealth is a tool, not a master. Its true value lies in how it is used for charity, service, and the building up of God’s Kingdom. Fidelity in small matters prepares the believer for the true riches God desires to give. A divided heart cannot serve God fully; disciples must choose God over mammon.
Reflection
How do I use the material blessings God has entrusted to me? Am I faithful in small matters? Is my heart divided between God and worldly concerns? Jesus invites me to invest in eternal treasures and to let God be my only Master.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, help me to use the resources You entrust to me with generosity and wisdom. Make me faithful in little things so that I may receive the true riches of Your grace. Free my heart from attachment to wealth and help me serve You alone with undivided love. Amen.