Reading
Luke 12:39-48
39 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. 40 You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.”
41 Peter asked, “Lord, are you telling this parable to us, or to everyone?”
42 The Lord answered, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom the master puts in charge of his servants to give them their food allowance at the proper time? 43 It will be good for that servant whom the master finds doing so when he returns. 44 Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. 45 But suppose the servant says to himself, ‘My master is taking a long time in coming,’ and he then begins to beat the other servants, both men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk. 46 The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers.
47 “The servant who knows the master’s will and does not get ready or does not do what the master wants will be beaten with many blows. 48 But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.
Comment
Be ready, but in an industrious way. This is the meaning of Jesus' admonition. To whom are his words addressed? To us, his servants, who have received every good from him, but not to keep it, but to administer it and share it with our neighbor. Waiting then becomes to tend with solicitude to the other from oneself.
The master's delay (v. 45) indicates the changing expectations of the early Christians regarding the imminent coming of Jesus. Luke uses the pair of Greek terms pais and paidiske, male and female servants, not neglecting the feminine element present in the Christian community. The evangelist warns his readers from misinterpreting this delay, which represents the time of the Lord's patient mercy.
The Lord's reward for the faithful servant is greater work, and greater responsibility (v. 44). In fact, whoever is the greatest of the disciples will become a servant (Mk 10:43): it is in this capacity to give oneself that true beatitude is found, because "‘It is more blessed to give than to receive’" (Acts 20:35).
The servant who irresponsibly waits for his master's delay will be surprised as by a thief in the night and will be stripped of all good: "‘For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them’" (Mt 25:29). Each one will have to give an account to God in proportion to the gifts received (v. 48).
Jesus invites every disciple to exercise an active hope, in recognition of the potential that every life, visited by grace, contains in itself. Each one is called to question his own conscience, to seek the will of God, Lord of time, in daily life, and to offer a generous response to him and to humanity.
Prayer
We invoke your return, o Lord, we await you as the watchman awaits the dawn. May your spirit make us industrious in your vineyard, in the awareness that you are demanding with the administrators of your goods. Amen.
- Rev. Dr. Luca Vona
