Of course it is a cliché, and we probably all get tired of clichés, but the fact is that many of them are true, as is this one. The monetary wealth that we make and strive for on this earth cannot be taken with us, so it begs at least two questions. First, what are we going to do with our money and second, what are we working for? There is no contest that says that at the end of earthly lives, the one with the most toys is the winner. Actually one of the lessons that can be taken from today’s Gospel, is that it is pointless to focus our lives on attaining earthly wealth that means absolutely nothing when our earthly life ends. Sadly, we all know too many stories of families (and maybe our family is one of them) who have been torn apart by the wealth left behind by a deceased relative. But Jesus teaches us a very useful and interesting lesson with, of all characters: the unjust steward. He, because of his wrongful behavior, finds himself in a bit of a difficult situation from which he needs to escape. Does this sound like anyone we know? How about ourselves? We, like this poor fellow, have done wrong and are going to have to make a case for ourselves before God, Himself, are we not? So what’s our plan, or are we even aware that we are in a tight spot? Jesus says that at least the unjust steward realized his situation and put together a strategy to save himself. So what about us? Jesus says that we actually can use the wealth we have amassed on earth to help to ourselves into heaven. That’s rather amazing news, isn’t it? Our wealth does not have to be in vain and it can bear fruit eternally! Only thing is…we have it give it away. We need to develop a preferential option for the poor, we need to take care of those less fortunate than ourselves. That’s how we are able to keep what we have earned and gain treasure that lasts forever. There is an epitaph found on an English grave that says the following: “What I kept I lost. What I spent I had. What I gave I have.” Again, this might be “cliché-ish,” but it very true. What we give away with a generous heart, we never lose. It also answers those two questions, about what we should do with our wealth and what we are working for. Our wealth, our gifts, our time and talents can never have a more meaningful purpose than to be used for those who are in need, and our ultimate purpose is to work towards getting our souls to heaven. Maybe that unjust steward wasn’t so bad after all.