19th Sunday Ordinary Time
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Cycle C
- Q279: Money bags, treasure, rewards, avoiding punishment, and masters serving slaves… what is going on in this complex gospel today (Lk 12:32-48)?
- In Secret Offering Sacrifice
- Q436: It is easy to talk about being a care-free servant like our gospel character. I wonder if that gospel servant had to look after aging grandparents as well as children!
- Q592: Aren’t the actions of the Master in the gospel rather strange?
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Q279: Money bags, treasure, rewards, avoiding punishment, and masters serving slaves… what is going on in this complex gospel today (Lk 12:32-48)?
Keep in mind the “context” of today’s gospel: we are hearing about God’s invitation, a most generous invitation into the Kingdom of God. We have been asked to trust in God and his providence (the preceding stories in Lk 12:1-31), and now we hear a reassurance that God just wants to give away his kingdom to us! All the metaphors that attract us: money, rewards, celebration, joy, even bosses serving their employees - - that is good stuff that servants like us need to hear!
The underlying lesson is easy and clear: we need to work for our own best interests. But here is the “hooker” — in the framework of the overall gospel message, our “best interests” always and only include love of God, love of neighbor, and love of self (in the best sense). If we do not have this core of covenant love, then we make a mockery of the gospel message of Jesus.
Luke was writing to his own Christian community. What do you suppose the nature of the “wedding feast” and “presence” of the bridegroom was that they could relate to? Of course, it was the eucharistic celebration! The participants -- everyone connected to the “bridegroom” Jesus, meaning every Christian -- were expected to prepare their hearts to receive Jesus, and not to be caught off guard with immoral and imprudent behavior. It is almost like preparing every hour to receive and welcome the “bridegroom” back home, into our hearts. This is what servants do. This is what true discipleship is all about.
Know Your Catechism! Many times Jesus has asked us to be vigilant so that our heart is united to his heart (CCC #2849). We are constantly to be on guard against thieves who would steal this unity from us, and thus the concern for watchfulness (CCC #2612). Prayer is the only defense that works in this spiritual battle against the tempter, when our prayer is united to the prayer of Jesus (CCC #2725).
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Despite long years of bondage in Egypt, the Israelites continued to worship as God had commanded them. As today's first reading says, "In secret the holy children of the good were offering sacrifice and putting into effect with one accord the divine institution."
How many times over the Christian centuries have persecuted Catholics offered in secret the holy sacrifice of the Mass, that indispensable source of their spiritual nourishment? They took that risk in France during the Anti-Christian French Revolution. They took that risk during the Mexican persecution of the 1920's and 1930's. They took that risk in the Nazi Concentration camps of World War II. Whenever there was a priest present among them, the faithful somehow managed to obtain a little bread and a little wine and "put into effect with one accord the divine institution."
In 1945, shortly after the Allies liberated the prisoners of the infamous Nazi Camp at Dachau, an American chaplain, Fr. Daniel A. Lanning, visited the place and interviewed some of its Catholic former inmates. He later published an article in which he related what they had told him of their secret wartime Masses.
The prisoners had less trouble securing bread and wine than in getting a chalice and altarstone. One of the men handy with a knife whittled out a wooden chalice and fitted into its cup a small wine glass. Another picked up a flat stone on the grounds for the altar. In those days, however, church law said that an altar should have sealed into it the relics of the martyrs. One of the men carved a hollow into the surface of the stone, and another asked a guard to bring him some dust of some priests who had been cremated at the camp after Nazi experimental scientists had used them as "guinea pigs." The priest victims might not have been canonized but they were surely martyrs; so the Catholics sealed their ashes into the makeshift altar.
How blest we are in America! Mass is available to us not in secret but in public; not on rare occasions but every Sunday and weekday. Perhaps we are even too fortunate. The persecuted appreciate like nobody else what an irreplaceable treasure is the Mass.
-Father Robert F. McNamara
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Q436: It is easy to talk about being a care-free servant like our gospel character. I wonder if that gospel servant had to look after aging grandparents as well as children!
If you do a computer search for the phrase “Sandwich Generation,” you will find over 1.5 million sites from which to choose. The term refers to a growing reality – many couples are discovering for the first time the concerns and the joys of “becoming sandwiched.” Suddenly my elderly parents (or grandparents) need home care, and a younger set of children or grandchildren also need my care. It is only natural to be concerned initially about a sudden change of events that produces this situation. When you are the family member with the happy chore of this double-duty, you know more than anyone the joy of self-giving and the concern that comes with added responsibilities – at both financial and energy levels.
Today’s gospel (Luke 12:32-48) speaks very simply to this reality, and to every kind of activity in life, whether family or career. We are called to do our assigned tasks as best we can, and also continue to be compassionate (becoming a neighbor to anyone in need, especially elderly parents). This is what the “gospel servant” is doing – all that is expected of him in his particular assigned function. When the Lord returns, he wants to find his servants “busy” – meaning, carrying out their assigned duties without grumbling, and without abusing anyone or anything, and having a special care for those in need.
Being “watchful” for the Master’s return is simply a matter of a loving daily routine. This includes regular daily prayer; growth in knowledge of spiritual and moral truths; a fundamental care for those in need (especially family members); and a hopeful expectation about the Master’s arrival. If we are not watchful – meaning, if we are lax in fulfilling our daily tasks and do not take precautions to know what is morally right and live accordingly, then the thief will find an easy entrance into our hearts and not only steal our real treasure (i.e., our authentic relationship with the indwelling Trinity), but leave behind a life in shambles.
KNOW YOUR CATECHISM! The battle and victory over the evil thief who would try to lead us away from our responsibilities becomes possible only through prayer (CCC #2849). The Holy Spirit constantly seeks to awaken us to “keep watch” – to do what we are called to do with tender love (ibid.).
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Q592: Aren’t the actions of the Master in the gospel rather strange?
In one sense this is indeed a rather strange gospel today (Luke 12:35-40). Let’s try and find a parallel today to make the imagery connect with our present age. Suppose our president were a single man. He gets married while in office, and then brings his new spouse home to the White House. When he arrives, will his servants be ready to greet him? If they are – this is the strange part – then the president will have them sit down at his fancy table, and he will serve dinner to them! Does scripture have things backwards?
Our story today is about two things: being ready for the Master’s return, and the lavish compassion and affection of the Master for his faithful servants. The image of a wedding banquet almost always relates to the coming of the Kingdom of God, and weddings are certainly a time of celebration, when we share in the love, joy and happiness of the bride and groom. So a lively metaphor is placed in front of us: God’s will is that all people live a transparent life of alert loving service, modeling themselves on none other than the Master.
Notice that the Master knocks on the door of his own home! Once again the imagery is so rich: Jesus will not force himself upon anyone. We must always be ready, listening for his knock, and invite him into our life in a meaningful way. His promised return, his second coming is not predictable; nevertheless our call is to be prepared at all times to greet him, and to have our house in order. If we do this, then the rewards are astonishing: we will be treated like VIP’s by the Master himself at the only banquet that counts!
KNOW YOUR CATECHISM! Pray for vigilance (CCC 2849), especially for the gift of final perseverance. In the meantime, our readiness program ought to include frequent use of the Sacraments of Reconciliation and Eucharist!
