Jesus Wants You to be a Dishonest Steward!

Jesus praises a dishonest steward and most of us immediately feel the tension. Why would Christ commend a man who looks like he’s gaming the system? We dig into Luke 16 and argue that the discomfort is a signal: the parable is not describing an earthly financial trick, but a spiritual reality where mercy, purification, and eternity are the real stakes.   I’m joined by Father Matthew Keller to walk step by step through the story as a “purgatorial parable.” We talk about what it means to be called to account before God, why purgatory is best understood as purification for those already saved, and how penance functions as healing and gratitude rather than a way to earn forgiveness. Then we connect the steward’s debt reduction to indulgences, especially the practical, concrete elements of obtaining a plenary indulgence and applying it to a soul who cannot “pay down” reparation after death.   From there, the conversation opens into the communion of saints and the exchange of spiritual goods: prayers for the dead, intercession from heaven, and the surprising idea that helping a soul reach “eternal dwellings” can create real spiritual friendship. We also explore how Church practice developed over time from public penance to later expressions of indulgences, and why that historical development matters for understanding the text today. If Luke 16 has ever sounded confusing or even morally backwards, this will give you a clearer, more coherent Catholic interpretation.   Subscribe, share this with a friend who wrestles with purgatory or indulgences, and leave a review with your biggest question about this parable.