Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost

A rich landowner tells his unsatisfactory manager he’s going to fire him. Before cleaning out his desk, the manager calls in those who owed his boss and reduced their debt. When the boss hears about it, he doesn’t call his lawyer, but sits back and laughs in admiration.

How could Jesus tell a story where the main character is a crook? Why doesn’t the boss punish the bad manager? What is Jesus trying to tell us? This weekend we look at this difficult parable with a surprise ending. The takeaway: in God’s economy, people matter more than profits. Mercy reigns.