Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time – Year C (2025)
Sunday, September 21, 2025
“You cannot serve God and mammon.” — Luke 16:13b. The term mammon comes from the Aramaic “māmōnā” meaning “riches”. It is not meant to be taken as a literal deity, but as a characterization of wealth, greed, and the love of material possessions that competes with God for our devotion. Even if not directly quoted, the theme of those familiar words of Jesus is widely used in society and popular culture. Tension between a higher purpose and the allure of wealth and comfort is vivid in movies, TV shows, as well as the works of authors, philosophers, poets, and musicians. Bob Dylan wrote, “It may be the devil or it may be the Lord, but you’re gonna have to serve somebody.”
We are confronted with challenging truths from today’s Readings. Together they form a powerful reflection on the Christian duty to pursue justice, cultivate gratitude, and examine the loyalties of our hearts. In the Gospel Reading, Jesus tells the story of a manager who, facing dismissal, shrewdly reduces the debts of his master’s borrowers to gain their favor and secure their future generosity. The master’s praise of the manager’s shrewdness surprises the disciples. The steward’s farsighted guile is not presented as a model of dishonesty but as an example of foresight that we, and the disciples, should imitate for the sake of the Kingdom. The parable’s message of no servant can serve two masters exposes the danger of letting material concerns dominate our lives. Our wealth is a “stewardship” entrusted by God; we are called to use it for His glory and the salvation of souls, not merely for personal comfort.
In today’s Old Testament Reading, the prophet Amos confronts those, “who trample upon the needy and destroy the poor of the land” — Amos 8:4, to profit from the vulnerable. This ancient indictment echoes today’s global economy, where unfair trade practices, predatory lending, and consumerism often marginalize the poor. We are reminded that we must stand with those who are exploited, advocating for honest commerce and equitable distribution of resources. Amos warns of God’s promise, “Never will I forget a thing they have done!” — Amos 8:7b. This calls us to personal conversion, for we must examine how our own habits and consumption may contribute to injustice and to seek ways to restore dignity to the marginalized.
St. Paul in today’s New Testament Reading points to the scope of prayer and conduct, “I ask that supplications, prayers, petitions, and thanksgivings be offered for everyone, for kings and for all in authority, that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life in all devotion and dignity.” — 1 Timothy 2:1-2. He links prayer and devotion to a quiet and peaceable life. In a world fractured by political turmoil and social inequality, this passage urges us to pray for those in power that they might govern with justice and mercy.
Are we laden with the weight of materialism, or are we free, using our gifts to lift others up? Let us commit ourselves to justice, prayer, and service, remembering that in doing so, we are not only fulfilling the commandments of Jesus but building the Kingdom of God here on Earth.