19
Oct
Oct
Reflection: Luke 12: 39-48
The parables on vigilant waiting for the Kingdom are continued for our reflection. Today’s parable describes the unexpected arrival of the thief. Jesus exhorts: “You also must be ready; for the Son of man is coming at an hour you do not expect” (v. 40). The disciple is one who awaits the Lord and his Kingdom. The Gospel clarifies this perspective with the parable of the stewards who look after the household in the absence of the Master: In the first scene, the steward faithfully carries out his tasks and receives compensation. In the second scene, the steward abuses his authority, and mistreats the servants. This situation is also frequent in our time: so much daily injustice, violence and cruelty are born from the idea of behaving as masters of the lives of others. We have only one master who likes to be called not “master” but “Father”. We are all servants, sinners and children: He is the one Father. Pope Francis explains this parable in one of his homilies that our opportunity to be stewards of God’s Household does not give us any additional authority over the lives of other members of the household; instead, it entrusts us with the additional responsibility to make “our common home” more just and more liveable. When Luke was writing his Gospel, the expectation of an immediate return of Jesus was gradually fading. The early Christians believed that Jesus would return during their lifetime but, as time went on and there was no sign of Jesus, Christians were tempted to become less vigilant and begin to ‘give it up’. Through this passage, the evangelist is trying to address this attitude of lethargy and warns the faithful to behave. There are two points for our reflection: First, we are not the owners of the household, but only stewards. But God has endowed us with the privileges of being His Children. This is a gratuitous gift and not something that we could demand from God. Second, being the Children of God, He has entrusted our fellow brethren – especially those who struggle in their lives – to our care. Abusing their inabilities, which appears to be the norm of the day, will not escape the anger of the Lord. Our lack of empathy and leaving the poor in their misery and refusing to stand for them and care for them is a sin – the sin of omission.