Gospel of 21 October 2020
Wednesday of the Twenty-Ninth Week in Ordinary Time
Luke 12:39-48
The Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect
Jesus said to his disciples:
‘You may be quite sure of this, that if the householder had known at what hour the burglar would come, he would not have let anyone break through the wall of his house. You too must stand ready, because the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.’
Peter said, ‘Lord, do you mean this parable for us, or for everyone?’ The Lord replied, ‘What sort of steward, then, is faithful and wise enough for the master to place him over his household to give them their allowance of food at the proper time? Happy that servant if his master’s arrival finds him at this employment. I tell you truly, he will place him over everything he owns. But as for the servant who says to himself, “My master is taking his time coming,” and sets about beating the menservants and the maids, and eating and drinking and getting drunk, his master will come on a day he does not expect and at an hour he does not know. The master will cut him off and send him to the same fate as the unfaithful.
The servant who knows what his master wants, but has not even started to carry out those wishes, will receive very many strokes of the lash. The one who did not know, but deserves to be beaten for what he has done, will receive fewer strokes. When a man has had a great deal given him, a great deal will be demanded of him; when a man has had a great deal given him on trust, even more will be expected of him.’
Reflexion
One of the most iconic lines that came from the Spider-man comic series, a line attributed to the protagonist’s Uncle Ben, is “with great power there must also come great responsibility.” (I understand it’s called the “Peter Parker principle)
This line is actually not that original. Stan Lee would have been inspired by the final conclusion to the parable of the wise and faithful servant, which we have just heard. Yet no one actually quotes the entire parable itself that ends with this very concept. The story our Lord tells makes us wince, just as it is meant to. Rather than being presented as a motivational mantra, it’s meant to be a warning. In fact, there is even a threat of physical violence - strokes of the lash and being beaten.
This parable points to the Lord’s Second Coming and the demand for readiness. Once again, our Lord insists on vigilance: be prepared, do not let your attention wander so that when the master comes, you are ready to welcome him. In fact we are told that the Son of Man will come at an hour we do not expect. We prefer something totally predictable, which we can control, but we know that the Lord comes to us very often unexpectedly.
The Lord also reminds us that the gravity of the punishment would depend on the weight of the responsibility and the level of authority given to us. In this sense, Christians can never plead ignorance and Christian leaders should know better. They are certainly held accountable by a higher standard than those who are non-Christians or those less knowledgable.
Our Lord never tells us to be afraid of His coming, for He comes to save us. But He does insist that we must be watchful not to be caught unawares or unprepared. Remaining alert, however, doesn’t mean living in a state of nervous anxiety. I do that by living the present moment as fully as I can, praying, living righteously according to God’s commandments, remaining faithful to my calling as a disciple of Christ and heeding His call to holiness. This is not just something to be put off to the very end of my life but must become the norm for every moment of my life, because “the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”