Daily Gospel Reflection
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November 10, 2023
Jesus said to his disciples, “A rich man had a steward
who was reported to him for squandering his property.
He summoned him and said,
‘What is this I hear about you?
Prepare a full account of your stewardship,
because you can no longer be my steward.’
The steward said to himself, ‘What shall I do,
now that my master is taking the position of steward away from me?
I am not strong enough to dig and I am ashamed to beg.
I know what I shall do so that,
when I am removed from the stewardship,
they may welcome me into their homes.’
He called in his master’s debtors one by one.
To the first he said, ‘How much do you owe my master?’
He replied, ‘One hundred measures of olive oil.’
He said to him, ‘Here is your promissory note.
Sit down and quickly write one for fifty.’
Then to another he said, ‘And you, how much do you owe?’
He replied, ‘One hundred measures of wheat.’
He said to him, ‘Here is your promissory note;
write one for eighty.’
And the master commended that dishonest steward for acting prudently.
For the children of this world
are more prudent in dealing with their own generation
than the children of light.”
Faced with the uncertainty of impending joblessness, too proud to beg, and having lived too privileged a life to work in the field, the dishonest steward decides to steal from his master by unethically negotiating with the master’s debtors to lower the sum they owe. The steward hopes that in doing this, the debtors “may welcome [him] into their homes” after he is fired, thus ensuring a future for himself.
As a senior at Notre Dame, experiencing all-consuming uncertainty for what the future holds and analyzing possible paths as the steward did is not foreign to me. Nevertheless, I initially found the master’s commending words to the unjust steward somewhat disconcerting. Why would the master applaud a thief?
Perhaps Jesus does not praise the corruption of the steward but rather his calculated dedication to securing a future for himself. Often, we are experts in secular sacrifice: we radically devote ourselves to a career, control, recognition, or worldly achievement. As “children of this world,” we can become so consumed in uncertainty and difficult decisions surrounding graduation, career changes, or relationships that our pursuit of the kingdom of God is neglected. I sometimes find that the extent of my engagement with God is merely attending Mass on Sundays, yet I constantly obsess over what the earthly future holds.
In this gospel, Jesus calls us to chase eternal wealth with the same tenacity and commitment with which we pursue earthly wealth and success. As we navigate our busy and unpredictable lives, let us strive to be “children of light,” prudent in pursuing an eternal future of true wealth. May we allow our faith to truly inform our lives and seek to fulfill our role in God’s kingdom on earth and in heaven with integrity.
Prayer
Merciful God, you know that we fall short of our desire to follow you. Help us to see the ways that we, too, suffer from a lack of strength and an excess of shame that we may more readily confess, repent, and continue to serve you. Help us to depend more on those we love than on our own material resources, for it is in encountering others that we truly learn to serve and to love and therefore to follow you as we desire. Amen.
Saint of the Day

The great Pope St. Leo did not back down from any challenge to the faith of the Church—he guided our understanding of Jesus’ human and divine natures at a critical moment in history, and even faced down Attila the Hun in person.
Leo was born at the end of the fourth century to a family from Tuscany, Italy, though he called Rome his home. He received a good education and was selected to serve the Church in Rome as a deacon. He was raised to positions of responsibility under two popes.
In 440, rival generals in the Roman army had a feud that threatened the security of the region of what is now France. Leo was sent to reconcile the two generals. While he was away, the reigning pope died, and messengers had to fetch Leo to tell him he had been elected to replace him.
Leo quickly became known for his edifying homilies, and his systematic and instructive preaching became a model for pastors in Rome and beyond. He was a prolific correspondent, sending letters far and wide to correct and encourage the faithful.
Leo became pope during the Christological debates of fifth-century Christianity. As the Church worked through the message of the Gospel in light of contemporary philosophy, different theologians proposed various models for how to understand the person Jesus Christ. The Catholic Church attempted to define orthodox Christology, that is, a theological-philosophical account of who and what Christ is. During Leo's reign, the Church called the Council of Chalcedon in 451, which is one of the most important "Christological Councils," as it formulated the Chalcedonian Creed, which stated Christ is "two natures [human and divine] unconfusedly, unchangeably, indivisibly, inseparably united in one person."' The Chalcedonian Formula, as it is known, is the foundation for Christian orthodoxy to this day.
The following year, Attila the Hun was making his way with his army into Italy, pillaging their way as they traveled across the country. After burning Aquileia, sacking Milan, and razing Pavia, Attila and his forces turned towards Rome. The people panicked and the general of the army was too terrified to encounter Attila that they could not act, so the emperor and senate turned to the strongest and wisest person they knew—Pope Leo—and ordered him to negotiate with Attila.
Near present-day Peschiera, Leo and Attila met face-to-face. Leo convinced Attila to accept an annual payment in exchange for the safety of the city, and Rome was protected for the moment. Three years later, however, Vandal invaders approached, and again Leo was called upon to negotiate. He was only able to obtain a promise from the Vandals to not kill the people and burn the city. They had their way with everything else, leaving Rome with captives and much treasure.
Leo responded to the crisis immediately. He collected money to serve the people enslaved in Africa and sent priests to serve them. He also did what he could to replace the sacred vessels and objects that had been taken from churches. It is said that he was never discouraged—even in the most troubling circumstances, he trusted God above all, which gave him a steady heart and strong judgment.
Leo died on this date in 461 and has been declared a doctor of the Church—a designation given to only thirty-seven saints for their efforts to teach the faith and the great example of their wisdom. To honor his prolific leadership, Leo is known as “Leo the Great”—a designation given to only three other popes (Gregory I, Nicholas I, and John Paul II). Some of Leo's relics rest in the reliquary chapel in the Basilica of the Sacred Heart on Notre Dame's campus.
Pope St. Leo the Great, fierce defender of the faith and of your city—pray for us!
Image Credit: Our featured image of Pope St. Leo the Great is in the public domain. Last accessed October 10, 2024 on Wikimedia Commons.