How to Win Heavenly Friends

Amos 8:4-7 & Lk. 16:1-3

Each country has its own currency. Any person travelling to a foreign country must have adequate foreign currency to spend. Having lots of cash and travellers cheques in pound sterling will be of no use to buy even a cup of coffee unless it can first be converted to the local money. But suppose that exchange facilities were not available – then all the necessary foreign currency would have to be obtained before departure. This is certainly true of our spiritual journey.

Through life we are on our way from our country on this Earth to God’s country which is Heaven. However much money we may own here will not be legal tender there. Moreover, once we leave on the last leg of that journey, it will no longer be possible to acquire any more currency. If we are truly wise, therefore, we will spend our lifetime converting our assets and talents into the currency of virtues which God recognises. Today’s Gospel is precisely about that but, in telling us the parable of the estate steward, Jesus is certainly not exhorting us to be dishonest.

What He is telling us, however, is that if, in our spiritual lives we adopt the same shrewd and practical common sense of that steward, we would do well indeed: namely, that we use our remaining time on Earth to acquire those things which will guarantee a place for us in Heaven. In what ways, then, does the Gospel encourage us to use our earthly time to prepare for eternity?

All the material goods that we have belong ultimately to God because He is their rightful owner. We are merely His trustees, or stewards, to whom He has entrusted the task of using these in accordance with our needs. However, because of our tendency for greed, what we want is normally far in excess of what we need. St Basil, one of the Fathers of the early Church, said that the things we have in excess of our needs belong, not to us, but to the poor. Even St Francis, who was so conspicuous for his love of poverty, was ready to give away the little he had whenever he met someone poorer than himself. Adopting the attitude of stewards enables us to be content with the little rather than much since whatever we have has been entrusted to us, and does not belong to us.

God expects us to show honesty and fair play in our dealings with others. This is how the things we need for our upkeep should be earned. In the First Reading, we hear how God, speaking through the prophet Amos, rebukes the rich people of Samaria for cheating the poor by resorting to unfair trade practices and by perverting justice by giving and taking bribes. The Lord invites us to examine our consciences to see whether the money we earn is clean or tainted.

Do we work conscientiously for our employers and pay the legitimate taxes that are due? As employers do we provide fair salaries and working conditions for our employees? Do we support the poor in Developing Countries by buying products, such as Fairtrade coffee, for which a fair wage and a fair price are guaranteed? Do we invest our funds ethically or are our investments tainted by the evils of arms trade, family planning or pornography. A small amount, honestly earned, brings peace to the conscience, whereas an ill-gotten fortune will always taunt the conscience. We also need to pray for those in government that they, too, will act with justice and fairness in their trade policies, especially with regard to the poor.

Voluntary almsgiving is an excellent way of converting our money with the heavenly currency. Whenever we give to the poor from what is surplus to our needs, or better still, when we sacrifice some of our needs for the sake of the poor, we are storing up treasure in Heaven. Furthermore, the poor whom we help in this way will pray to God for us in a spirit of gratitude, and this prayer will obtain many blessings for us.

In addition to responding to emergencies, it is a very good practice to set aside a certain proportion of our net monthly income to help the poor. We could send these to one or more charities of our choice. When we die, how consoling it would be to hear the words of Our Lord, “Come, you blessed on My Father and inherit the kingdom. What you gave to the least of My brothers you gave to Me.”

This is yet another way of preparing for our own entry into Heaven - the souls in Purgatory are important part of the Church. They are in a blessed state because they have already been saved. However, they are not yet ready to enter Heaven because they have not been purified of their sins and any attachments to sin. Whilst in Purgatory they cannot help themselves but have to rely on us to help them with our prayers and good works. We can do so by praying for them, by having Masses said for them, and by obtaining indulgences for them. These will speed their entry into Heaven and, when they get there, they will express their gratitude by praying for us. We will thus be assured of their prayers, not only during our life here on Earth, but also when it comes to our turn to pass through Purgatory.

The Saints who are already in Heaven are ever ready to intercede for us and to help us in our spiritual journey. Foremost among these is Our Lady herself, and then all the well-known Saints, including our own particular favourites. We would do well to cultivate a friendship with them through our prayers of dedication and through our efforts to imitate their holy lives.

The Church is made up of three parts which, together, form the Communion of Saints: the Church in Heaven, the Church in Purgatory and the Church here on Earth. In this communion there is a complete sharing of life and love: a sharing of all our goods whether material, temporal or spiritual. It is in this communion that God asks us to convert our goods into the heavenly currency.

Lord Jesus, like the wise steward, may we use our time and money to help others by our prayers and almsgiving and the various corporal and spiritual works of mercy. Let us thus win the friendship of the poor on earth, the souls in Purgatory and the Saints in heaven. Then, when death dismisses us from this earthly tent, these friends of ours will accompany Our Lord and come to welcome us at the gates of heaven.