Daily Catholic Lectio
Wed, 22 Oct ‘25
Twenty-Ninth Week in Ordinary Time, Wednesday
Romans 6:12–18. Luke 12:39–48
Responsible Stewardship
In today’s Gospel, Jesus continues His teaching about the end times and speaks about responsibility. He asks, “Who, then, is the faithful and wise steward whom the master will put in charge of his servants to distribute their food at the proper time?”
The word steward immediately recalls someone like Joseph in the Old Testament — the man who was sold as a slave to Egypt and yet became the trusted steward in Potiphar’s house. Though abandoned by his brothers and unjustly accused, Joseph never abandoned his faith. When tempted by Potiphar’s wife, he courageously said, “How can I do this great evil and sin against God?” (Genesis 39:9). That is the mark of a true steward — integrity when no one is watching.
Knowing one’s boundaries
A steward is not the master; he is entrusted with what belongs to another. His duty is to manage, not to possess. In the parable, Jesus warns against the steward who begins to act like the master — one who says, “My master is delayed,” and begins to eat, drink, and abuse the other servants. Responsibility begins with knowing our boundaries. In management terms, this is called role clarity — knowing what is entrusted to us and what is not. A good steward never claims ownership over what is borrowed — not even over his own life. Everything we have — health, time, talents, relationships — is a gift, not a possession. As the saying goes, “The servant cannot claim the house because he holds the key.” To be responsible is to protect the key, not to steal the house.
Knowing when to let go
Another quality of a true steward is the wisdom to step away at the right time. In the Mahabharata, the warrior Abhimanyu knew how to break into the enemy’s circle, but not how to come out of it — and he perished there. In life too, we must learn the art of letting go — of positions, possessions, even relationships — when the time comes. Many crises arise because we hold on too long — to authority, to comfort, or to control. A responsible steward knows that his time of service is not endless. His greatness lies in his willingness to hand over the trust to another when the Master wills.
The principle of proportionate responsibility
Jesus concludes with a profound truth: “From everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required; and from the one to whom much has been entrusted, even more will be demanded.” This is not a warning but an invitation — to live in proportion to the grace we have received. Responsibility grows with trust, just as a snowball grows as it rolls downhill. In modern leadership language, this is called the snowball effect: the more faithfully you handle what is small, the more you are given to handle what is great. So too in the spiritual life — those who prove faithful in little things are entrusted with greater missions.
Saint John Paul II, whose feast we celebrate today, is a shining example. As a priest, bishop, and pope, he carried the Church through times of change and challenge with courage and faith. His responsibility was not just in leadership, but in love — love for God, the Church, and humanity.
The steward’s balance: trust and diligence
In the first reading, Paul reminds the Romans: “You who were once slaves to sin have become obedient from the heart to the teaching to which you were entrusted.” The word entrusted is the same idea Jesus uses — God has placed something sacred in our care. We are stewards, not of wealth or property, but of grace. Every vocation — parent, priest, teacher, leader — is a trust. We are called to manage it with diligence, and one day, we must give an account of it.
Saint John Paul II once said: “Freedom consists not in doing what we like, but in having the right to do what we ought.” That is the heart of stewardship — freedom guided by faithfulness.
May we, like Joseph and John Paul II, be found faithful and wise, ready for the Master’s return — not as fearful servants, but as joyful stewards who can hear Him say, “Well done, good and faithful servant; enter into your Master’s joy.”
Fr. Yesu Karunanidhi
Archdiocese of Madurai
Missionary of Mercy
Yesu Karunanidhi 
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