20261106 ROLE MODELLING
06 November 2026, Friday, 31st Week in Ordinary Time
First reading |
Philippians 3:17-4:1 |
Our homeland is in heaven, and from heaven comes Christ to transfigure us
My brothers, be united in following my rule of life. Take as your models everybody who is already doing this and study them as you used to study us. I have told you often, and I repeat it today with tears, there are many who are behaving as the enemies of the cross of Christ. They are destined to be lost. They make foods into their god and they are proudest of something they ought to think shameful; the things they think important are earthly things. For us, our homeland is in heaven, and from heaven comes the saviour we are waiting for, the Lord Jesus Christ, and he will transfigure these wretched bodies of ours into copies of his glorious body. He will do that by the same power with which he can subdue the whole universe.
So then, my brothers and dear friends, do not give way but remain faithful in the Lord. I miss you very much, dear friends; you are my joy and my crown.
Responsorial Psalm |
Psalm 121(122):1-5 |
I rejoiced when I heard them say: ‘Let us go to God’s house.’
I rejoiced when I heard them say:
‘Let us go to God’s house.’
And now our feet are standing
within your gates, O Jerusalem.
I rejoiced when I heard them say: ‘Let us go to God’s house.’
Jerusalem is built as a city
strongly compact.
It is there that the tribes go up,
the tribes of the Lord.
I rejoiced when I heard them say: ‘Let us go to God’s house.’
For Israel’s law it is,
there to praise the Lord’s name.
There were set the thrones of judgement
of the house of David.
I rejoiced when I heard them say: ‘Let us go to God’s house.’
Gospel Acclamation | 2Co5:19 |
Alleluia, alleluia!
God in Christ was reconciling the world to himself,
and he has entrusted to us the news that they are reconciled.
Alleluia!
Gospel | Luke 16:1-8 |
The master praised the dishonest servant
Jesus said to his disciples:
‘There was a rich man and he had a steward denounced to him for being wasteful with his property. He called for the man and said, “What is this I hear about you? Draw me up an account of your stewardship because you are not to be my steward any longer.” Then the steward said to himself, “Now that my master is taking the stewardship from me, what am I to do? Dig? I am not strong enough. Go begging? I should be too ashamed. Ah, I know what I will do to make sure that when I am dismissed from office there will be some to welcome me into their homes.”
Then he called his master’s debtors one by one. To the first he said, “How much do you owe my master?” “One hundred measures of oil” was the reply. The steward said, “Here, take your bond; sit down straight away and write fifty.” To another he said, “And you, sir, how much do you owe?” “One hundred measures of wheat” was the reply. The steward said, “Here, take your bond and write eighty.”
‘The master praised the dishonest steward for his astuteness. For the children of this world are more astute in dealing with their own kind than are the children of light.’
ROLE MODELLING
SCRIPTURE READINGS: [PHILIPPIANS 3:17-4:1; LUKE 16:1-8]
The world is very much in need of good role models, mentors, and witnesses of Christian living, leadership, and service. Indeed, we have far more speakers and teachers than doers. Very few of us would be able to say with conviction alongside St. Paul: “My brothers, be united in following my rule of life. Take as your models everybody who is already doing this and study them as you used to study us.” St. Paul presented himself as a role model who followed and imitated our Lord in both life and death. In the Gospel, however, we are presented with an ambiguous counter-model in the person of the dishonest steward. What kind of model or mentorship do we want to impart to our children, loved ones, and those under our charge? What kind of legacy do we want to leave behind when we depart from this world? These are the core questions the Scripture readings invite us to reflect upon today.
First, the dishonest steward is someone we must not imitate. He proved to be utterly irresponsible with the duties his master had entrusted to him. Instead of cherishing that trust, he abused it by mismanaging property and squandering the master’s money. All of us have been given a form of stewardship, not only over others, but over our own lives. We will be called to give an account of what we have done with our resources, wealth, talents, privileges, and opportunities. We so easily forget that what has been given to us is not truly ours; we are merely stewards and trustees of God’s blessings. God’s gifts do not belong to just one or two individuals, but are meant for the good of all. Consequently, like the dishonest steward, we will one day be brought to account before the Lord. We will be judged on how faithfully we used what He entrusted to us for the good of His people.
Second, he was not only irresponsible–he was dishonest. Instead of owning up to his failures, he devised a devious way to secure his future before his departure. He manipulated his master’s accounts and altered the debts owed by the debtors. By reducing their balances, he hoped to win their friendship and make them indebted to him. By offering them a discount, he assured himself of a warm welcome after his dismissal. He was also remarkably shrewd: he knew that by accepting the discounted debt, the debtors became accomplices to his crime. Thus, while he won them over as friends, he simultaneously held leverage over them.
Third, over the years, the steward had grown proud, arrogant, complacent, and accustomed to a luxurious lifestyle. He had long been the boss over many who did his bidding. Knowing that once removed from his position of power, authority, and wealth, he would become a nobody and lose all his privileges, he refused to accept reality. Incapable of confronting the truth about himself, he lamented: “Now that my master is taking the stewardship from me, what am I to do? Dig? I am not strong enough. Go begging? I should be ashamed.” This holds a mirror to many of us as leaders. We often cling to office and position as long as we can because we fear that once we lose our status in society or an organisation, we will be marginalised. Stripped of power, authority, and influence, we lose our privileges and recognition. We struggle to adapt and move forward simply because we have grown so used to being served and giving orders.
Fourth, the dishonest steward failed to realise that life is far more than the pursuit of pleasure and comfort. St. Paul warned the early Christians not to live lives of licentiousness and debauchery, writing: “They make foods into their god and they are proudest of something they ought to think shameful; the things they think important are earthly things.” Indeed, this is precisely what we observe in the world today. In a culture driven by materialism and consumerism, the focus shifts entirely to gratifying physical desires under the guise of living life to the fullest. There is a deep obsession with the body because humanity has been deceived into believing it has no soul. We are deluded into believing that meeting our sensual desires–drinking, sex, food, and pleasure–brings fulfilment. St. Paul reminds us that those who live this way set themselves up as enemies of the cross of Christ and are destined to be lost.
St. Paul underscores the reality that we are not merely citizens of this earth, but citizens of heaven. This is the truth so many fail to grasp. We often think that we belong to the world or that the world belongs to us. Yet when death claims us, we cannot carry anything with us–not even our physical possessions. We leave this world stripped of everything, including our mortal flesh. As St. Paul declares: “For us, our homeland is in heaven, and from heaven comes the saviour we are waiting for, the Lord Jesus Christ, and he will transfigure these wretched bodies of ours into copies of his glorious body. He will do that by the same power with which he can subdue the whole universe.” Indeed, we must live with an eternal perspective. Our true home and ultimate destiny is in heaven, where our bodies will be transfigured on the day of the resurrection.
For St. Paul, Christ was his model–and our only true model as well. All other leaders and mentors must pattern themselves after our Lord, who has shown us the way. By living a life of self-sacrificing love and service to others for the greater glory of God, we find genuine life. As St Paul reminds us: ” The kingdom of God is not food and drink but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. The one who thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and has human approval. Let us then pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding. Do not, for the sake of food, destroy the work of God.” (Rom 14:17-20). Only by giving of ourselves in humble service can we share in the glorious destiny of our Lord’s resurrection. As Jesus taught: “Those who love their life lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also. Whoever serves me, the Father will honour.” (Jn 12:25-26).
The life of St. Paul was one of complete devotion and service to others, especially to his Jewish brothers and sisters. He desired their conversion and faithfulness so deeply that he often wept over those in his care–just as he wept for the Corinthians, the Ephesians, and the Philippians who had made themselves enemies of the cross. Throughout his ministry, he sought to be an example to the Christians. Writing to the Corinthians, he noted: “In the same way, the Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel. But I have made no use of any of these rights. If I proclaim the gospel, this gives me no ground for boasting, for an obligation is laid on me, and woe to me if I do not proclaim the gospel!” (1 Cor 9:14-16). Earlier in his letter to the Philippians, he expressed this same spirit: “Even if I am being poured out as a libation over the sacrifice and the offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you.” (Phil 2:17).
Finally, despite the dishonesty of the steward, there is an important lesson we can draw from St Paul and the dishonest steward: the need for shrewdness, and foresight in proclaiming the Gospel. Although the steward was corrupt, the master praised him for his astuteness: “For the children of this world are more astute in dealing with their own kind than are the children of light.” St. Paul was undeniably astute in his evangelical outreach: “To the weak I became weak, so that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that I might by all means save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, so that I may share in its blessings.” (1 Cor 9:22-23). St. Paul did not preach aimlessly; he strategized, adapting his presentation of the Gospel to suit his audience–whether Jews, Gentiles, intellectuals, or simple people. Let us likewise seek creative ways to testify to Christ in a secular, scientific, and technological world, winning hearts and minds over to Christ and the Gospel.
Best Practices for Using the Daily Scripture Reflections
- Encounter God through the spirit of prayer and the scripture by reflecting and praying the Word of God daily. The purpose is to bring you to prayer and to a deeper union with the Lord on the level of the heart.
- Daily reflections when archived will lead many to accumulate all the reflections of the week and pray in one sitting. This will compromise your capacity to enter deeply into the Word of God, as the tendency is to read for knowledge rather than a prayerful reading of the Word for the purpose of developing a personal and affective relationship with the Lord.
- It is more important to pray deeply, not read widely. The current reflections of the day would be more than sufficient for anyone who wants to pray deeply and be led into an intimacy with the Lord.
Note: You may share this reflection with someone. However, please note that reflections are not archived online nor will they be available via email request.
Written by His Eminence, Cardinal William SC Goh, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore © All Rights Reserved.
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