Sacred Scripture
Jesus said to his disciples: “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.” (Luke 12:39-48)
Reflection
If asked the question of how will history portray us, many would say: “ Nah, you have the wrong person. I am not important enough for history to remember me.”
If any answer could be grossly incorrect, that is it!
You know that first you are important to God. He brought you into this world and he died so that you could be freed from the sins of the world and live with him for eternity.
That’s a pretty important note in salvation history.
You can add to that the fact that you will always be part of the history of those you love, those you knew and those were affected by your actions.
That’s a second important note in history about you.
So, you may now answer me: “OK, OK, I accept that. But the last line of this scripture carries a lot of responsibility and I don’t know if I can measure up to it.”
“Much will be required of the person entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more.”
This scripture seems demanding because its emphasis is on our work, our service, our responsibility to build the kingdom of God. Just as soon as Jesus lowers that obligation upon us, it is easy to flee for cover.
Christ calls us to build the kingdom of God, and we have all kinds of reasons why we are too busy, too depressed, too tired, too old, or too weak to do it.
So, how do we turn this around? How do we become the servants that Christ asks us to be? How do we motivate ourselves to build God’s kingdom? We do it by taking advantage of two things this world still offers.
Beauty and love.
We begin by acknowledging and accepting that the work of Christ is both beautiful and important.
Yes, it is difficult at times to be patient and understanding with our children, with our parents, with our spouse. The fact that Christ commands us to do so doesn’t make it any easier. But, if we could see the beautiful parts of the people in our family, if we could recognize their sincerity, their innocence, their honesty, their energy, we could push through all the frustrating peculiarities and love them.
Yes, it is difficult at times to find the time and energy to help others: to give some time to the elderly neighbor who lives on our street, to work in a soup kitchen, to volunteer to teach a child to read. But, if we could remember the beauty of the people that we help and how important it is to have them fed, literate, and not alone, we could push through all the complications of our schedules and serve them.
When we’re dealing with grief or discouragement, it is difficult to remain positive. But, if we could see the beauty of the smile that we could bring to another’s face, and understand the way that our attitude can lift the attitude of others, we can push through the pain and be the presence of Christ to those around us.
When we realize that we are actually living the love that Christ commands . . . when we realize that living that love brings us to a point that we are reflecting the presence of Christ, then our life takes on even more significance.
Living the love that Christ commands us also enriches our appreciation of the people who sustain us in our life. When we express our love, we come as close as we can to knowing the true meaning of life. We also prepare ourselves to welcome the Son of Man, when he comes at an hour we do not expect.
Now THAT is important and so are you.
Prayer of The Day
“Lord Jesus, you have captured my heart for you. Make me strong in faith, steadfast in hope, and generous in love that I may seek to please you in all things and bring you glory. May I always be watchful and ready to answer when you draw near.”
Daily Note
The Lord Jesus calls us to be vigilant in watching for his return and to be ready to meet him when he calls us to himself. The Lord gives us his Holy Spirit so that we may have the wisdom, strength, and help we need to turn away from own sin and to embrace God’s way of love, justice, and holiness. The Lord’s warning of judgment causes dismay for those who are unprepared, but it brings joyful hope to those who eagerly wait for his return in glory. God’s judgment is good news for those who are ready to meet him face to face when he returns. Their reward is God himself, the source of all truth, beauty, goodness, love and everlasting life. Are you ready to receive his grace and help today to walk in faithfulness and obedience, trust and hope, steadfast love and mercy?
