On astute parables

 Most of the time, the gospel teaches us the doctrines and moral truths that belong to Divine Revelation. But sometimes, the gospel teaches us other things besides. Today's gospel (Luke 16: 1-8) is a good example of this.

On the surface of it, if we were drawing up a league table of Jesus’ best parables, I'm afraid to say this parable would probably come close to the bottom if we judged it by what the lectionary has served up for us here. The lesson of the parable appears to be that the children of this world are cleverer in their own business than the children of light. In fact, the parable’s complete meaning does not become apparent until we read the following section of the gospel where Jesus warns us that we cannot be the servant of God and the servant of money. Even then, the parable seems confusing, especially given that the rich master ends up praising his dishonest servant.

So, when it comes to reading such a parable, what should we do? Here is where I think the gospel teaches us other things indirectly. We cannot understand this gospel if we simply stop at the level of its words. In order to understand this gospel, we have to be able to think about the wider context in which Jesus is speaking. Moreover, this is true of other things that people might say to us in other circumstances in our lives. As I often say to my wife, it's not about what it's about.

There is a very simple way to understand this. If I sit down at the table and say, “Where’s my supper?” my question is not simply begging to know the location of my food; I am asking to be fed. If, when I am served my supper, I then say, “Is there any salt?”, my question is not trying to ascertain whether there is salt in the house. I am asking for someone to pass me the salt. My words are not about what they appear to be about on the surface. In how many other circumstances is this the case!

So, why is any of this important? It is important precisely because the children of this world - who understand such things - are cleverer in their day than the children of light. While the children of light attribute the best of motives to their neighbour,  goodwill to all and rose-tinted blessings all round, the children of this world know that much of this world's affairs, even among the children of light, are woven from deceit.

While this gospel’s parable will eventually warn us not to be the servants of money, indirectly it is training us to look below the surface of what people say. It is training us not to be content with being superficial in how we understand what is said to us. It is urging us to understand and to practise the difference between being simple and being simplistic. It is begging us to grasp the difference between confidence and caution. It is asking us to confront in the end the truth about ourselves and the truth about others while we hold to the truth about our loving Father. The Father of Truth, not the father of lies.

The children of this world are more astute in their dealings than the children of light. And let us not forget: this reflects badly - very badly - on the children of light.