29TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
St. Anthony Mary Claret, bishop
Psalter: Week 1 / (Green/White)
Is 12:2-3, 4bcd, 5-6
You will draw water joyfully from the springs of salvation.
1st Reading: Eph 3:2-12
You may have heard of the graces God bestowed on me, for your sake. By a revelation, he gave me the knowledge of his mysterious design, as I have explained in a few words. On reading them, you will have some idea of how I understand the mystery of Christ. This mystery was not made known to past generations, but only now, through revelations, given to holy apostles and prophets, by the Spirit. Now, the non Jews share the inheritance; in Christ Jesus, the non-Jews are incorporated, and are to enjoy the Promise. This is the Good News, of which I have become minister, by a gift of God; a grace he gave me, when his power worked in me.
This grace was given to me, the least among all the holy ones: to announce to the pagan nations the immeasurable riches of Christ, and to make clear to all how the mystery, hidden from the beginning, in God, the Creator of all things, is to be fulfilled.
Even the heavenly forces and powers will now discover, through the church, the wisdom of God in its manifold expression, as the plan is being fulfilled, which God designed from the beginning, in Christ Jesus, our Lord. In him, we receive boldness and confidence to approach God.
Gospel: Lk 12:39-48
Pay attention to this: If the master of the house had known at what time the thief would come, he would not have let his house be broken into. You also must be ready, for the Son of Man will come at an hour you do not expect.”
Peter said, “Lord, did you tell this parable only for us, or for everyone?” And the Lord replied, “Imagine, then, the wise and faithful steward, whom the master sets over his other servants, to give them wheat at the proper time. Fortunate is this servant if his master, on coming home, finds him doing his work. Truly, I say to you, the master will put him in charge of all his property.
But it may be that the steward thinks, ‘My Lord delays in coming,’ and he begins to abuse the male servants and the servant girls, eating and drinking and getting drunk. Then the master will come on a day he does not expect, and at an hour he doesn’t know. He will cut him off, and send him to the same fate as the unfaithful.
The servant who knew his master’s will, but did not prepare and do what his master wanted, will be soundly beaten; but the one who does unconsciously what deserves punishment, shall receive fewer blows. Much will be required of the one who has been given much, and more will be asked of the one who has been entrusted with more.
Reflections
The steward that Jesus holds up for acclaim is not doing something particularly flashy or creative. He is just continuing to do his duty, day after day, without fail, without forgetting, without unexplained lapses. His virtue is steadfastness. You can count on him. Life for so many of us is filled with loose ends. There are things undone and things half-done; things put off and things not even attempted. Good stewards have always the sense of a task that must be completed and finished. The unmindful steward simply does not care about his work. He lives for himself and not his master. He neglects his responsibilities toward his fellow servants and, instead, looks to his own comfort and luxury, signaled by “eating and drinking.“ If we are living for ourselves, we cannot at the same time be under discipline as a faithful servant to the Master. How much would we be willing to give up our comfort and securities before we say, “Enough! I won‘t go any farther.“? How steadfast are we really? Or are we just fair-weather Christians?
Daily Reflection 2018
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Biblical Texts are taken from Christian Community Bible, Catholic Pastoral Edition (57th Edition) The New English Translation for the ROMAN MISSAL
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