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
“Much will be required of the person entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more.”
There it is. His words clearly remind us of our obligation as Christians. An obligation that should mark every moment of our day as well as guide every action and every word of our life. There is no way that we can evade that obligation by claiming nescience, or not being aware. As Christians, we know. Nor can we claim ignorance, Jesus’ words have been spoken to us.
We followers of Christ carry His words in our minds and hearts. They should guide us in every moment of our life.
But make no mistake. Evil confronts us every day. It seeks to rob us of our new life in Christ. The more we carry the words of Jesus, the more we will be tempted. Evil works in the world of men and women, Evil whispers false promises to us to make us believe that we can find happiness and joy apart from God. It’s subtle but always there seeking an opportunity to prey on us especially when we are weak or ill or despondent.
But we know with all certainty that the cross of Christ is triumphant over all.
We are given this new life through baptism. We are strengthened in that new life through the Word and the sacraments. No matter where we are in our lives, we know that if we hold on to the promise of the cross, we are triumphant. We know that if we hold on the cross, we will be ready when he calls us.
Walking each day with Jesus is helping Jesus carry that cross. There are a lot of voices which will seek to dissuade us. But the truth is that if we stay focused on that cross, we will know which direction leads us to the treasure of Christ and which will lead us away from the cross. It is both instinctual and learned,
The instinctual element comes from allowing the Holy Spirit to be resonant in our life. The learned element is made possible through the gift of pray and the art of conversing with Christ.
Talking to Jesus, listening to the Holy Spirit resident within us does mark our lives. We will stand apart from the world and its vices. But as we stand apart, we are enriched and our lives made fuller.
” And they will know we are Christians by our love,
How many of us have watched a loved one or a friend pass gracefully? It’s always been a strengthening experience for me. To see the peace that passes over them, to watch them slip away with dignity. In those moments, I know that I am in the company of God. No matter the physical or emotional trauma that a Christian undergoes, in those final moments, they know they are a treasure of God. And God gracefully picks them up and takes them home.
That is our gift and how awesome it is.
Hold on to your faith in this darkening world. Let your faith shine through you. No matter the clouds, no matter the heaviness of the dark, you are God’s treasure.
The gift you give to God is a reward that will mark you today and especially in the final days.
Prayer of The Day
“Lord, you are faithful even when I fail. Help me to remain ever faithful to you and to not shrink back when I encounter difficulties. Make me diligent in the exercise of my responsibilities and wise and prudent in the use of my gifts, time and resources.”
Daily Note
When we leave Church, we are Church, sent into the world which God still loves so much that he sends His only Son. (John 3:16). We are His arms, His legs, His message, for a world still waiting to be born again. We have the message of true freedom for an age which longs to be liberated from the shackles of relativism and nihilism. We are sent to a people who long to hear the words of the Master saying, “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life.” (John 14:6)
We are to become His voice. We live in the heart of the Church for the sake of the world.
