November 5, 2022

For you this week:

• Reflection for Saturday: What does Jesus mean by “dishonest wealth”?
• Inside the Ministry: Dilemmas and reassurances
• This week’s WordBytes faith-builder: Financial advice from the Word of the Lord

This week’s Trivia Challenge: Who was Israel’s wealthiest king, and what did he ask God to give him? (Check your answer at the end of this newsletter.)

Saturday November 5, 2022

Philippians 4:10-19
Psalm 112:1-2, 5-6, 8-9
Luke 16, 9-15
bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/110522.cfm
Podcast:
bible.usccb.org/podcasts/audio/2022-11-05-usccb-daily-mass-readings

Saints Calendar:
gnm.org/saints-find/saints-calendar

Jesus said to his disciples: “I tell you, make friends for yourselves with dishonest wealth, so that when it fails, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.” (From Saturday’s Gospel reading)

Reflection for Saturday:
What does Jesus mean by “dishonest wealth”?

To “make friends with dishonest wealth” does not mean “feel good about stealing.” We need to see this Saturday’s Gospel reading in the context of the parable he told immediately before:

A rich man had a steward who was squandering his property, so he decided to fire him. The steward wondered, “What shall I do now? I know! I’ll make friends with my master’s debtors so that they will welcome me into their homes when I can’t afford food and shelter.” So he met with them, one by one, and handed them their promissory notes in exchange for half of what they owed. And the master, knowing that half was better than nothing, commended the dishonest steward.

In other words, we who are followers of Christ have been put in charge of his property. Some of us are good stewards in carrying out his mission and some of us are not. Most of us could do a whole lot better than we are.

A friend once told me about a horrible scene he witnessed at a healing service. There was a long line of people waiting for the priest to pray over them when a man helped his elderly mother walk past everyone. The good son asked the priest if he would pray over his mom right away because she was tired and frail and needed to go home to bed. Before the priest could respond, a man near the front of the line scolded them.

“How dare you cut in line!” He snarled. “I’ve been waiting and it’s my turn next. You go to the back of the line where you belong!”

I wonder if he wondered why he didn’t get the healing he asked for. Jesus said that with the measure we use, it will be measured to us (Matthew 7:2). Need a healing? How much have you helped others heal? Need divine intervention in a difficult problem? How much have you helped others receive God’s intervention as his helping hands and voice? Praying for a solution to a financial problem? How generous have you been toward others — how much have you sacrificed for them?

The “dishonest wealth” of which Jesus speaks is anything worldly that can be turned into a blessing. We can let it lead us to compromises that hurt our relationship with Christ or we can use it in ways that lead others to Christ. For example, the internet is rich in hatred, immorality, anti-Christian messages, and every other sort of evil. But we use the internet to build faith.

“Honest wealth” is anything that comes from God: wisdom, healings, money, etc. Even the money we earn comes from God, because he gave us the ability to earn it.

He wants us to be good stewards of his gifts. When we benefit from his riches, that’s only the first step, not the final step. He gave it to us so we can become distributors of his wealth. What are you rich in today?

Inside the Ministry:
Dilemmas and reassurances

“I need continued reassurances,” Christine told us. I knew exactly how she felt thanks to those nasty parasites and everything else that I wrote about in last week’s newsletter.

Christine was responding to a little campaign that Good News Ministries ran last month to ask for prayer commitments (gnm.org/donate/prayer-commitment). She promised to pray the Rosary to help us continue doing what we do.

Another response came from Donna; she prayed the Miraculous Heart Novena for us because, “GNM has been part of my daily prayer for such a long time. Starting my day with GNM is as important as my prayers and daily Mass. The reflections are so good, and the podcasts and the WordBytes. I would desperately miss Terry, her husband, mom, and the dilemmas GNM experiences. I don’t have money but I give my prayers for GNM family everyday, and pray for each dilemma, and praise God when the dilemma is resolved. Terry and gang are truly part of my Catholic family.”

Since last November, I’ve been enduring one dilemma after another, all of which prevented me from working much (which I believe is the worst dilemma of all). Donna gave me the reassurance I needed. Suddenly, I felt hugged.

This week’s recommended faith-builder:
Financial advice from the Word of the Lord

Bogged down by financial worries? God wants you to be free of all anxieties about your finances.

In this downloaddable WordBytes article, we look at three questions:

1. Where is my focus?

2. What does God require of us so we can receive His abundance?

3. Does God promise to be generous with you?

For the answers, visit wordbytes.org/finances/advice-from-scripture/.

WordBytes is a library of Catholic faith-building articles by Good News Ministries. Come on in and explore! Visit WordBytes.org today.

Explore our Catholic Video Library for Faith Growth

How do you want to grow your faith today? Try these Catholic videos by Good News Ministries!

• Footsteps to Heaven
• Guest Spots
• Terry & Ralph’s Good News for Today
• Quick Faith-builders with Terry Modica
• God’s Amazing Word for Miracles
• God’s Radical Love for Marriage
• Come Holy Spirit!
• Praying with Power
• How to Pray in the Power of the Holy Spirit
• Go Deeper into Holy Mass
• Take, Eat, Drink: Understanding the Catholic Mass
• How to Turn Your Crosses Into Resurrections
• The Apostolate of the Laity in the Church Crisis
• Personal Testimonies
• Prayer Meditations
• Meditations without Words

Answer to this week’s Trivia Challenge:
Who was Israel’s wealthiest king, and what did he ask God to give him? Shortly after Solomon became king, God appeared to him in a dream and offered to give him anything (see 1st Kings chapter 3), including riches. Solomon asked for wisdom. God rewarded him with great wealth, too. In today’s money, he became a multi-billionaire.

God bless you!

Every morning, I lift up in prayer everyone who helps Good News Ministries in any way (donors, volunteers, prayer supporters, etc.) and all the prayer requests posted on our site. What can I cover in prayer for you? Post your prayer request.

How else can the team and I serve you today? Visit our homepage.

Let’s connect in GNM’s own SmartCatholics community, called Good News Faith Builders. I’m available to interact with you there.

Thank you for reading this newsletter.

Your servant in Christ,
Terry Modica, Executive Director
Good News Ministries
gnm.org

Find this and past issues at gnm.org/newsletter. Please share what will minister to others.