Wisdom 18:6-9
The Hebrew people awaited the salvation of the just.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 33:1,12,18-22
Happy the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.
Second Reading
Hebrews 11:1-2,8-19
We will look for the city designed and built by God.
Gospel Reading
Luke 12:32-48
You also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.
Jesus said to his disciples:
“Do not be afraid any longer, little flock,
for your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom.
Sell your belongings and give alms.
Provide money bags for yourselves that do not wear out,
an inexhaustible treasure in heaven
that no thief can reach nor moth destroy.
For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.
“Gird your loins and light your lamps
and be like servants who await their master’s return from a wedding,
ready to open immediately when he comes and knocks.
Blessed are those servants
whom the master finds vigilant on his arrival.
Amen, I say to you, he will gird himself,
have them recline at table, and proceed to wait on them.
And should he come in the second or third watch
and find them prepared in this way,
blessed are those servants.
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, the master will put the servant
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.”
Or
LK 12:35-40
Jesus said to his disciples:
“Gird your loins and light your lamps
and be like servants who await their master’s return from a wedding,
ready to open immediately when he comes and knocks.
Blessed are those servants
whom the master finds vigilant on his arrival.
Amen, I say to you, he will gird himself,
have the servants recline at table, and proceed to wait on them.
And should he come in the second or third watch
and find them prepared in this way,
blessed are those servants.
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.”
Background on the Gospel Reading
Jesus' instructions on how to be ready for the coming judgment continue in the stories and sayings found in today's Gospel. We are not to be like the greedy rich man in last Sunday's Gospel who planned to store his great harvest in barns rather than share it. We are, rather, to share our wealth with those in need. The antidote for the anxiety brought on by the coming judgment is to relinquish our possessions and provide for the needs of others. Our treasure will be in heaven where it will not wear out or be destroyed.
The other major way to be ready for the coming judgment is to be watchful. In Luke's Gospel, Jesus tells a parable about watchfulness to begin making this point. We must be like servants waiting for the master's return from a wedding banquet, which, even now, can last for a few days in the Middle East. We must be watchful so that even if the master comes after midnight, we will be ready for him. This is what the coming of the Son of Man will be like.
Peter asks if this parable is meant for the apostles or for the large crowd that has gathered to listen to Jesus. Without answering Peter's question, Jesus responds with another parable about servants awaiting the return of their master. It begins with a question: “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?” This parable adds to the theme of watchfulness; it explains how to wait and reminds us of the reward for the faithful follower at the heavenly banquet after the judgment. If it is addressed to the apostles, then it could also be addressed to leadership in the early Church. Either way, the parables reminds us that we should be found doing our jobs when the master arrives. If we are doing our jobs, our reward will be great. But if we relax, neglect our duties, and begin to act like the greedy rich man—eating, drinking, and making merry—we will not have a place in the kingdom. Watchfulness means living in such a consistently moral and obedient way that we are always ready to give an account to God of how we have lived.
Family Connection
Years ago, most families had only one or two clocks in their home. Today, we have clocks everywhere—on our walls, on our microwave ovens, on our DVD players, on our cell phones, and so on. As a family, go through the house and count how many clocks (time-telling devices) your family has. Talk about important events for which family members need to be on time. Recall experiences of being late for something, either as individuals or as a family. Explain that in this Sunday's Gospel, Jesus talks about how important it is for us to be aware and alert, otherwise, we will miss something.
Read aloud Luke 12:32-48. Talk about the parable that Jesus told and discuss how the master will feel if he arrives to find his servant doing his job. Discuss what our job is as disciples of Jesus. Explain that, just as we need to be aware of the time so that we don't miss anything important, we also need to be alert and focused on our jobs, our responsibilities as followers of Jesus.
Encourage each family member to place a sacred symbol near the clock that they use most in the house and to use the symbol and the clock as a reminder that it is always “time” for us to be acting like disciples of Christ.
Sources: Loyola Press; Sunday Readings
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