"The sons of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than the sons of light."(Luke 16:8)

"The sons of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than the sons of light."(Luke 16:8)
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"I was arrested yesterday"

"Arrested? For what?"

"For accepting bribery to do my my duty. "

"But you are at home."

" I was released within minutes."

"How? "

"By bribing the arrester! "

"But bribing is as criminal as being bribed."

"I know. But the arrester was arrested in the morning today!"

"What do you mean? "

"I mean what I say.''

"But why?"

"For paying his electric bill with the money I gave! "

"But why in the world was that?"

"I was bribed with valid currency,  but he with fake ones! "

"You are a double criminal! "

"Not double,  full "

Criminal brains work this way.

They are very shrewd!

Our Lord has said,  "The sons of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than the sons of light."

'Sons of this world' are those who don't care for the next world. They live as though this world is their permanent abode.

They don't worry about sin or virtue in their thought, word and action.

They live only to live,  so they are ready to sacrifice anybody or anything for their comfortable life.

They are shrewd enough to turn  any situation to their better use, whether it be morally  good or bad.

According to their dictionary 'whatever is useful is good '.

'Sons of light' are the ones who live in this world for the next world.

They know that this world is not their permanent abode.

Life in this world is only a journey to the next world, Heaven.

Such ones are the followers of Jesus,  who is the light to their path.

Shrewdness is a gift given by God  to the human race.

Shrewdness is one's  ability  to understand and judge a situation quickly and use it to one's advantage.

Shrewdness is a common gift.

According to Jesus the 'sons of the world ' use it more than the 'sons of light'.

The steward in Jesus' parable misuses his shrewdness to change  the rich man's domestic records to be of help to him in future.

Jesus says that His followers are not so shrewd as the sons of the world.

He expects us to be more shrewd than the sons of the world in spiritual matters.

We have been given 24 hours a day.

How long should  we spend for God everyday?

Jesus wants us to spend all the 24 hours for Him.

Is it possible?

Quite possible.

We can allot

2 hours for prayer

8 hours for work,

8 hours for sleep,

6 hours for our dear ones.

Most important,  we must be shrewd enough to offer the whole day to God, thus making the whole day a prayer.

By our offering our work, sleep and the time spent with our dear ones will become a prayer.

If we are shrewd,  we can use even material things for our spiritual advantage. 

Money can be spiritualised by
1.offering it for the welfare our Holy Mother the Church.

2. Offering it as help to the poor and needy.

3. arranging for Masses to be said for the dead.

Whenever we get an opportunity we must be shrewd enough to make use of it for service of God.

We need not go in search of opportunities,  they will cross our way themselves at unexpected times.

One day I had gone to a theater to see a film.

Just as I was about to enter the theater a pathetic voice came from behind.

I turned back.

A small boy was standing there stretching his hands with his eyes, requesting something, fixed at mine.

Without a second thought I put the ticket money into his hands and left the theater with the satisfaction of having helped somebody.

Such unexpected opportunities will present themselves at unexpected moments to be used for our spiritual advantage.

One day I got into a crowded bus with no seat to sit down.

I kept standing for a few minutes.

One middle aged man called me 'sir' from behind.

I recognized him as my old student and smiled at him.

"Sir, please come here and sit down."

He stood up and gave me his seat to sit down.

I sat down with a 'thanks'.

"I thank you for having given me an opportunity to help my teacher," he said.

Small drops of water make a mighty ocean.

Small acts of love and kindness make a 'dear-God spiritual life.'

Lourdu Selvam.