Christianity puts emphasis on the importance of the "name"-it is not just a tag, but also an identity: a being, a meaning. It is not merely a coincidence that whenever a parable tells the story of a selfish, wealthy man, the narrator never mentions the person's name. The parable usually ends with the reader not knowing who the "rich man" is.
             Compare such "________ and the rich man" parables with that of "________ and some generous person" stories. You'll notice in the latter that the good person has a name-a personality to call his own.
             I will not be surprised if you are asking why I am giving such theological lecture. After all, I am supposed to be reflecting on the readings given. I will go into that in a little while. I am just giving you an idea on how the early Christians-if not Jesus Himself-distinguished the good men from those who were not.
             The parables tell the stories of people who are selfish and shrewd-these are not merely all about money and possessions. The lessons go beyond that, serving as warnings to us Christians.
             I do not want to be a hypocrite if I say that money is of no importance to me. Money is important-it is our mode of survival in these times. Unless we live in a home where food is grown in trees, fields, or flocks of animals, we need money to satisfy our hunger. We need money to buy food, to clothe our skin, to shelter our heads. Finance, being a study of our cash flows, plays an important role in helping us to value our money.
             We must know how to value our money, but with certain care. We should not allow such love for money to compromise our morality and relationship with God. The parables tell us just that.
             I would have wanted to specifically reflect on one of the parables given. It will be easier, allowing me to analyze each in a more profound manner. But from what I can see, the parables should be taken as one big picture-the stories by themselves are not enough to emphasize on how Finance...