You Know Not The Hour

Wednesday Gospel Refection: Memorial of Saints John de Brébeuf and Isaac Jogues, Priests, and Companions, Martyrs

Jesus said to his disciples: 
“Be sure of this:
if the master of the house had known the hour
when the thief was coming,
he would not have let his house be broken into.
You also must be prepared,
for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.”

Then Peter said,
“Lord, is this parable meant for us or for everyone?”
And the Lord replied,
“Who, then, is the faithful and prudent steward
whom the master will put in charge of his servants
to distribute the food allowance at the proper time?
Blessed is that servant whom his master on arrival finds doing so.
Truly, I say to you, he will put him
in charge of all his property.
But if that servant says to himself,
‘My master is delayed in coming,’
and begins to beat the menservants and the maidservants,
to eat and drink and get drunk,
then that servant’s master will come
on an unexpected day and at an unknown hour
and will punish the servant severely
and assign him a place with the unfaithful.
That servant who knew his master’s will
but did not make preparations nor act in accord with his will
shall be beaten severely;
and the servant who was ignorant of his master’s will
but acted in a way deserving of a severe beating
shall be beaten only lightly. 
Much will be required of the person entrusted with much,
and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more.”

~Luke 12:39-48

In today’s Gospel, we read about the unknown coming of Christ and the responsibility entrusted to those with many gifts. We must stand ready because the son of man is coming at an hour we do not expect. So, just as the householder does not know at what hour the burglar will come, in the same way, no one knows the hour when the Son of Man will arrive.

We pray to be alert and ready for the Lord, who desires to come to us and hopes to serve us in love. Time can be used irresponsibly. We wait together, and we are asked to be responsible. After waiting and speculating about the coming of Jesus, many people no longer perceive the presence in our midst, in the most common things of life, or in daily events. What is essential is not to know the hour of the end of the world but to be capable of perceiving the coming of Jesus in the present moment.

Once again, Jesus insists on vigilance, being prepared, and not letting your attention wander so that when the master comes, you are ready to welcome him. We can prepare by fostering our relationship with Christ through prayer and adoration.

Through our devotion and prayer, we may be able to live in the moment with Christ. When we act in accord with Christ's will, we are said to be blessed, “Much will be required of the person entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more.” Openness to God is the fruit of prayer and requires little human competence. Prayer is God's gift to us and God's work within us. We can be blessed through our devotion to God. The good steward is the one who carries out his mission of servant. He does not use the goods received for his own advantage and is always vigilant and attentive.

Let us Praise the Lord this day and always!