29Week in ordinary Time
Gospel: Lk 12: 39-48
Be sure of this: if the master of the house had known the hour when the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. You also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.” Then Peter said, “Lord, is this parable meant for us or for everyone?” And the Lord replied, “Who, then, is the faithful and prudent steward whom the master will put in charge of his servants to distribute the food allowance at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master on arrival finds doing so. Truly, I say to you, he will put him in charge of all his property. But if that servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed in coming,’ and begins to beat the menservants and the maidservants, to eat and drink and get drunk, then that servant’s master will come on an unexpected day and at an unknown hour and will punish the servant severely and assign him a place with the unfaithful. That servant who knew his master’s will but did not make preparations nor act in accord with his will shall be beaten severely; and the servant who was ignorant of his master’s will but acted in a way deserving of a severe beating shall be beaten only lightly. Much will be required of the person entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more.
ACT WITHOUT FEAR OR FAVOR: The Day of Judgment comes unannounced. The best way to face it should be with supreme readiness. It is not the image of the thief coming to break in and steal, that should get our attention, but rather the inner need to be prepared. Since we are entrusted with tasks, we need to be fully involved, giving our very best. Relaxation will certainly lead us into the mistake of laziness and laxity. Jesus is very straightforward. He has always known God’s Will and is out to accomplish it. We too know our Master’s Will. This brings heavy responsibility upon us to perform. As earnest Christians let us be eager to seek God’s Will and be enthusiastic to do accordingly.
PRAYER: God of all realities, mold us to realize your Will and energize us to be always attuned to it.
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WAITING IN SERVICE: The Evangelist Luke reminds us that a disciple is a servant. We are at the service of the responsibilities that the Lord has granted to us. We are entrusted with people, jobs, studies or ministries. None of us possesses them, rather they belong to the Lord. They are responsibilities which aim at liberating others, rather than at possessing or enslaving others. The Christian attitude of waiting also means doing everything as a service to society. Life is not a coincidence. God’s providence has placed you in a particular place and with a particular people because in you there is a gift that will bring the divine grace into the world. Give yourself at the service of all.
DAILY GOSPEL 