1 Cor 4:1-5 / Luke 5:33-39
Our actions are carried out with intentions.
Our actions are visible and others can have opinions and even make judgements about it.
But our intentions are not visible to others and only we ourselves know the motives of our intentions.
We may be seen as doing a noble act or a charitable deed, but our real intentions may have vested self-interests.
In the first reading, St. Paul reminds us that people must think of us as Christ’s servants, stewards entrusted with the mysteries of God.
So what is expected of us as stewards is that we should be found worthy of what is entrusted to us by God.
It means that what we do must be done with pure intentions and what we say must be the truth.
But temptations are always lurking around and in our weakness our intentions can be flawed with hidden ulterior motives.
The first reading also tells us that God will light up all that is hidden in the dark and reveal the secret intentions of our hearts.
When we let the light of God scatter the darkness of our hearts, then we will be the clean new cloak and the new wine in the gospel parables.
And with the light of God in us, then others will know what are the intentions of our words and deeds.