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19th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Reading I: Wisdom 18:6-9 II: Hebrews 11:1-2,8-19

Gospel
Luke 12:32-48

³² "Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
³³ Sell your possessions, and give alms; provide yourselves with purses that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys.
³⁴ For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
³⁵ "Let your loins be girded and your lamps burning,
³⁶ and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the marriage feast, so that they may open to him at once when he comes and knocks.
³⁷ Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes; truly, I say to you, he will gird himself and have them sit at table, and he will come and serve them.
³⁸ If he comes in the second watch, or in the third, and finds them so, blessed are those servants!
³⁹ But know this, that if the householder had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have left his house to be broken into.
⁴⁰ You also must be ready; for the Son of man is coming at an unexpected hour."
⁴¹ Peter said, "Lord, are you telling this parable for us or for all?"
⁴² And the Lord said, "Who then is the faithful and wise steward, whom his master will set over his household, to give them their portion of food at the proper time?
⁴³ Blessed is that servant whom his master when he comes will find so doing.
⁴⁴ Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions.
⁴⁵ But if that servant says to himself, 'My master is delayed in coming,' and begins to beat the menservants and the maidservants, 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 does not know, and will punish him, and put him with the unfaithful.
⁴⁷ And that servant who knew his master's will, but did not make ready or act according to his will, shall receive a severe beating.
⁴⁸ But he who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, shall receive a light beating. Every one to whom much is given, of him will much be required; and of him to whom men commit much they will demand the more.

Interesting Details

In the first few verses, today's passage continues last Sunday's discussion of possessions in the life of the Christian.
(v.32) "my little flock": The gentleness here matches that of "my friends" in 12:4. The image of the flock echoes the designation of Israel guided by the Lord (Ez 34:11-24). The disciples represent that "little flock" which forms the nucleus of the restored people around the prophet.
(v.35) At that time, when a man was resting, he loosened the belt which held his long robe. When working he tightened the belt, thus hitching up his robe to facilitate work and movement. The fastening of the belt recalls the preparation for the Exodus. The Hebrew people were to be ready to move immediately when the call of the Lord came. The disciples of Jesus are to be ready to open to the Master "immediately when He comes".
(v.36) The passage has some points of resemblance to the parable of the ten virgins in Mt. 24:42-51. The earliest Christians held out the expectation that Jesus would return in glory very soon. But by the time Luke wrote, a different notion prevailed. The Lord would return at an unknown time, at an indefinite moment in the future. Luke therefore calls for continued vigilance and fidelity.
"steward": The household manager is often translated as "steward". He was himself a slave just as those he oversees; despite his relative authority, he is equally subject to the authority of the master.
(v.45) Luke has placed great emphasis here upon the notion of punishment. Those who serve the Church must never abuse their authority. Their role is one of service, not placing others in servitude.
(v.48) Those "entrusted with much" authority, and those "entrusted with more", must live up to their appointed tasks. Luke is already looking ahead to the future organization of the Church.

One Main Point

The image of authority is one of service to others. Leaders of the Church have been entrusted much, and much will be expected of them.

Reflections

What has God entrusted to me to manage? How am I taking care of this responsibility?
About what dangers is Jesus warning me in this passage? Which danger is most likely to be a problem for me?