Wednesday in the 29th Week of Ordinary Time, October 25, 2023

Luke 12, 39-48

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.”

In today’s Gospel Reading the Lord continues to speak of the end times and his Second Coming after he had counseled his followers not to fear civil or religious authorities who persecuted them for their faith but rather to trust most securely in God.  

“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.”  In this parable, the human soul is “the master of the house” and his mortal life is his house.  The “thief” can be understood as death which strikes through the unguarded and unprepared life as though unexpected and undefended for the soul whose life this is sleeps in laziness and complacency.  The soul that fortifies his life with good deeds and lasting faith is prepared and is not so much snatched from this earth by death as goes peaceably with death to the Lord in heaven.  Some of the Fathers believed that Christ himself was signified by the thief, who “breaks into the house” of the unprepared man or woman and casts them into hell but who is met in peace by the virtuous believer who goes with him into Paradise.

“Lord, is this parable meant for us or for everyone?” Peter’s question reveals that he has not understood the meaning of the parable.  The Lord’s reply does not directly address Peter’s question but elaborates on what he has already taught.  “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?”  The Lord continues with the master of the house, but in a different way.  The emphasis is now on the steward, whom the master will reward or punish according to his conduct.  This is the Apostle or any Church authority.  The “food allowance” is the teaching of Jesus Christ and also the pastoral care the authority is duty-bound to provide, such as the administration of the sacraments.  “Blessed is that servant whom his master on arrival finds doing so.”  Now, the steward in performing his duties is only doing what he is required to do — he does nothing extraordinary in this.  And yet the Lord Jesus calls this one “blessed”.  “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.”  This saying brings to mind Matthew 19, 28: “You who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”  These stewards will be raised to very high places in heaven.  

“My master is delayed in coming.”  The church authority grows weary of performing his duties and makes an excuse to do as he pleases.  In fact, he had lost his faith long before and was simply putting in his time, unable to make a living in any other way.  This one “begins to beat the menservants and the maidservants, to eat and drink and get drunk.”  Not only does he fail in his duties but he misuses his authority to prevent those committed to his care from carrying out their duties.  He also disturbs their peace to such an extent that they may waver in their faith.  “Then that servant’s master will come on an unexpected day and at an unknown hour.”  The steward does not know the day or the hour because he has forgotten or stop believing in the existence of the master of the house, his own master.  The master “will punish the servant severely and assign him a place with the unfaithful.”  That is, a place outside the house where there will be wailing and the gnashing of teeth.  He who once reigned in the house experiences a terrible fall on account of his own negligence and faithlessness.

“That servant who knew his master’s will but did not make preparations nor act in accord with his will shall be beaten severely.”  The Lord makes a distinction here.  Knowing the divine will — the Lord’s commandments and his own divinely appointed responsibilities — but lives a godless life will receive a very severe punishment in hell.  But “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.”  That is, this servant did not know God’s commandments but is still held accountable for committing acts which are universally held as abominable, such as willful murder.  “Shall be beaten only lightly” is not quite accurate.  The Greek says, “who is worthy of stripes shall be beaten with a fewer number.”  Both shall receive severe punishment, but the one who knew the master’s will shall suffer more grievously.

“Much will be required of the person entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more.”  This is the source of comic book writer Stan Lee’s phrase about the possession of super powers.  For the Christian, the believer given great gifts or authority will be held more accountable than those who receive fewer of these, and the ones with the most will be even more accountable.  We can think in terms of deacons, priests, bishops, and popes, but also to those who have received what we might call charismatic gifts which complement church authority in the service of the faithful.  We might also consider that things as free time and good health and natural talents among these as well, for everyone possesses some of God’s gifts.

We ought, each of us, to take stock of what God has given us so that we may use it to the full.  Let us not hold back in the service of the Lord.