"The person who is trustworthy in very small matters is also trustworthy in great ones."
Luke 16:10
In the first reading today, Paul concludes his letter to the Romans by greeting specific people in the community, who he refers to by name. This seemingly unnecessary detail reveals to us an obvious but crucial truth about the scriptures: these were real people! It is easy for us to read Paul’s letters as general guidelines for all Christians, and they certainly contain universal truth.
But when St. Paul wrote, he had specific people on his heart – for him, it was very concrete. These were real people with real struggles, real graces, real love. This leads us to the Gospel, where we hear Jesus summarize his Parable of the Dishonest Steward from yesterday. In general, it goes something like this: “In this life, make sure you are using the gifts you’ve been given in a way that leads you to eternal life.” However, like St. Paul, we can’t leave things general – we must make them concrete.
So…what are the gifts that God has given you? And who are the people who could benefit from those gifts? If we want our faith to make a difference in our lives, we can’t leave things vague – it’s time to make our faith real!
In a concrete way, how is God calling me to serve Him, and others, this week?
Lord Jesus, help us to use the gifts your Father has given us to pave our way to the kingdom of heaven!
Today's Reflection is by:
Fr. Lou Turcotte
Did you know...
Fr. Lou Turcotte grew up in Clearwater, attending Light of Christ Catholic Church with his parents and two sisters. He is an alumnus of St. Cecelia Interparochial School, Clearwater High, and the University of Florida, where he graduated with a degree in Marketing. Inspired by many priestly role models, he felt the LORD pulling him to discern the priesthood, and after an exciting, challenging, and transformative 7 years of seminary education, he was ordained a priest in 2018. After serving at St. Timothy in Lutz for two years, he now enjoys the beautiful waters of St. Raphael in St. Petersburg. His passions include national parks, aquariums, Chick-fil-A, Liverpool Football Club, and encountering Jesus alongside the faithful here in the Diocese of St. Petersburg.
