OT31FR1
Friday, 31th Week in Ordinary Time -1-
Lk 16:1-8 "I want you to render an account of your service for it is about to be terminated.'"

First Reading: Rom 15:14-21

I myself am convinced about you, my brothers and sisters,
that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge,
and able to admonish one another. But I have written to
you rather boldly in some respects to remind you, because of
the grace given me by God to be a minister of Christ Jesus to
the Gentiles in performing the priestly service of the Gospel
of God, so that the offering up of the Gentiles may be acceptable,
sanctified by the Holy Spirit. In Christ Jesus, then, I have
reason to boast in what pertains to God. For I will not dare
to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished
through me to lead the Gentiles to obedience by word and
deed, by the power of signs and wonders, by the power of the
Spirit of God, so that from Jerusalem all the way around to
Illyricum I have finished preaching the Gospel of Christ. Thus
I aspire to proclaim the Gospel not where Christ has already
been named, so that I do not build on another’s foundation,
but as it is written:

Those who have never been told of him shall see,
and those who have never heard of him shall understand.

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 98:1, 2–3ab, 3cd–4

R./ The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.

Sing to the LORD a new song, for he has done wondrous deeds;
His right hand has won victory for him, his holy arm.

R./ The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.

The LORD has made his salvation known:
in the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice.
He has remembered his kindness
and his faithfulness toward the house of Israel.

R./ The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.

All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation by our God.
Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands; break into song; sing praise.

R./ The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.

Gospel Reading: Lk 16:1-8

At another time Jesus told his disciples, "There was a rich man whose steward was reported to him for fraudulent service. He summoned the steward and asked him: 'What is this I hear about you? I want you to render an account of your service for it is about to be terminated.'

"The steward thought to himself: 'What am I to do now? My master will surely dismiss me. I am not strong enough to do hard work, and I am ashamed to beg. I know what I will do: I must make sure that when I am dismissed, there will be some people to welcome me into their house.'

"So he called his master's debtors one by one. He asked the first who came: 'How much do you owe my master?' The reply was: 'A hundred jars of oil.'
"The steward said: 'Here is your bill. Sit down quickly and write there fifty.' To the second he put the same question: 'How much do you owe?' The answer was: 'A thousand bushels of wheat.' Then he said: 'Take your bill and write eight hundred.'

"The master commended the dishonest steward for his astuteness. For the people of this world are more astute in dealing with their own kind than are the people of light.