Prudence
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September 22, 2019"And the master commended that dishonest steward for acting prudently." (Lk 16:8)
A word from Karl Rahner:
"Our life is a series of vicissitudes. The landscape of the soul is exposed to every kind of weather. By turns we are happy and unhappy; now lively, now weary; now pleased with our surroundings, now disappointed and now hurt; now young; now old; now encouraged by success, now crushed by some bitter failure; now grateful for all the benefits we receive, now wounded at the thought of all that is denied us. Ups and downs, like those of the steward in the gospel. But are we as prudent as he was? Have we faith, the stout heart, th humble mind, the docility to God's good pleasure, ot see in the most contrasting fortunes of our lives a chance to bring forth fruit for eternity, to prove our love for God, to be patient and courageous, unassuming and devoted; or do we insist on having our own way in the service that we offer God, are we prepared to find him only in the particular situation we have chosen? Before we know it, he has sent us a different situation; and we have not the magnanimity, the willing, loving, uninhibited prudence, to perceive God's call, how work for us, in the different situation, to accept it with a will, to get on with it, to be well-content with God's good pleasure for us. We are not so prudent as the steward in the gospel.... If we will only look a little more closely at our lives, we shall find situations, relationships, burdens, here and there, that can only be seen for what they are, can only be coped with, if we are prudent enough by God's grace to acknowledge with a heavenly prudence: This too is a word of God's eternal love; I must be loving and courageous and answer yes."
(Biblical Homilies, 59-61)
Image: Dishonest Steward by Nelly Bube
