“Make friends for yourselves through your use of this world’s goods,
so that when they fail you, a lasting reception will be yours”

 
What if the steward was an employee at McDonalds and was going to be fired because he stole money from the cash register.  His boss told him that he had one more week of work before he was going to be let go.  The employee made sure to tell all those he knew to come in that week and he would give those who came in free drinks, desserts, etc.  How will those that received free drinks and desserts from the employee feel towards him after he is fired?  They would remember his kindness and even though it was wrong, they would try to repay the favor.  In the same way, the servant in the Gospel is looking ahead, toward his future.  He knows that he will be fired so he wants to make as many friends as possible so that when he no longer has a job he at least will have friends to take care of him or maybe even offer him a job.
 
Saint Augustine says, “God admonishes all of us to use our earthly goods to make friends for ourselves among the poor.  They, in turn, becoming the friends of their benefactors, will be the cause of their admission into heaven.”[i]
 
Why is it good to befriend the poor?  According to St. Ambrose the friends that we make by alms-giving are the poor, the saints and angels, even Christ Himself: for that which we give to the poor, we give to Christ (Mt. 25:40).  “The hands of the poor,” says Peter Chrysologus, “are the hands of Christ,” through whom we send our riches to heaven before us, and through whose intercessions we obtain the grace of salvation.”[ii]
 
What does “alms” mean? “Material of financial assistance given to a needy person or cause, prompted by Christian charity.  Almsgiving is recognized by the Church as one of the principal forms of penance.”[iii]
 
What kind of friends do I want to make?  What do the friends I make give me?  Do they give me temporal things?  Do they give me spiritual things?  It is not just important to make friends with “the poor” but also “the poor and spirit”.  The poor in spirit are those that know they “need” God, those that put their trust in God and are committed to the worship and service of God. 
 
Do we do whatever it takes to make sure, we make friends that help us get to heaven, both the “poor” and the “poor in spirit”?  Remember the words of Jesus, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”[iv]  We have to also remember that Jesus was poor!  When the woman washed Jesus feet, dried His feet with her hair and then put expensive perfume on the feet of Jesus the apostles protested.  Jesus replied, “What she has done as a generous offering as a friend it shall be remembered”.  The apostles showed concern for the poor and had wanted to sell the perfume and take the money from the sale and give to the poor.  Jesus told them, “The poor you will always have with you.”[v]  This is a reminder to us that acts of charity toward the poor are always available to us.  We must treat these poor as friends and as the woman treated Jesus.  We must give to the poor “a generous offering as a friend”.
 
What do the people in our lives; especially our friends do for you now?  
What do they do for you later (heaven)?  
In other words are they making you better and helping you to grow in holiness or are they just helping you out in this life?

The Story of Saint Lawrence
Saint Lawrence was one of the arch-deacons of Rome.  This meant that he was one of the Pope’s secretaries and personal assistants.  During the time of Saint Lawrence the Roman Empire was persecuting Catholics and made it against the law to believe in Christ and His Church.  The emperor had a suspicion that the Church was hiding away riches somewhere.  He was going to kill Saint Lawrence but before murdering him, the emperor commanded that Saint Lawrence bring to him all the treasures of the Church.  A few days later, many of the poor from the streets of Rome appeared outside the Emperor’s palace.  Disgusted by the sick and poor that were outside the palace, the emperor was furious and wanted to know who was responsible for this.  Saint Lawrence told the emperor that he was only doing what he was asked.  The poor and the sick Saint Lawrence explained are the Churches treasure.

[i] Divine Intimacy
[ii] The Church’s Year
[iii] Fr. Hardon; Catholic Dictionary
[iv] Matthew 5:3
[v] Matthew 26:11