For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more

 

 "Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.  Sell what you have and give alms; provide yourselves money bags which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches nor moth destroys.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.  

"Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning; and you yourselves be like men who wait for their master, when he will return from the wedding, that when he comes and knocks they may open to him immediately.  Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching.  Assuredly, I say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them.  And if he should come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants.  But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into.  Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.  

 

Then Peter said to Him, "Lord, do You speak this parable only to us, or to all people?"  And the Lord said, "Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his master will make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of food in due season?  Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes.  Truly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all that he has.  But if that servant says in his heart, 'My master is delaying his coming,' and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and be drunk, the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.  

 

"And that servant who knew his master's will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.    But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few.  For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more."

 

- Luke 12:32–48 

 

Yesterday we read that one from the crowd said to Jesus, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me."  But He said to him, "Man, who made Me a judge or an arbitrator over you?"  And He said to them, "Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses."  Then He spoke a parable to them, saying:  "The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully.  And he thought within himself, saying, 'What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?'  So he said, 'I will do this:  I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods.  And I will say to my soul, 'Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry."'  But God said to him, 'Fool!  This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?'  So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God."  Then He said to His disciples, "Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put on.  Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing.  Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither storehouse nor barn; and God feeds them.  Of how much more value are you than the birds?  And which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?  If you then are not able to do the least, why are you anxious for the rest?  Consider the lilies, how they grow:  they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.  If then God so clothes the grass, which today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith?  And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind.  For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things.  But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you."

 

  "Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.  Sell what you have and give alms; provide yourselves money bags which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches nor moth destroys.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."  My study Bible comments that do not fear is a recurring theme in this discourse.  Little flock is a reference to all believers.  They are "little" in two ways.  First of all, they are insignificant in the eyes of the world, and second, they are small in number when compared to the earthly and heavenly creation.  Let us consider what it is to have treasure in the heavens:  what we sacrifice from an earthly perspective, we gain when done for the kingdom of heaven.  Of such is money bags which do not grow old,  treasure where no thief approaches nor moth destroys. 

 

 "Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning; and you yourselves be like men who wait for their master, when he will return from the wedding, that when he comes and knocks they may open to him immediately."  This is a call to be vigilant, says my study Bible.  It echoes the imagery of the parable of the wise and foolish virgins (Matthew 25:1-13).  In Christ's time, one would "gird one's waist," hitching up and fastening clothing in order to work, so that it would not interfere nor be soiled; here Christ uses this expression as a metaphor for readiness to do virtuous action.  Lamps burning indicates active spiritual discernment (see Tuesday's reading, in which Jesus teaches, "The lamp of the body is the eye. Therefore, when your eye is good, your whole body also is full of light. But when your eye is bad, your body also is full of darkness").

 

 "Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching.  Assuredly, I say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them."  My study Bible comments that the mark of a true disciple is vigilance in performing the work and exemplifying the virtue of the master.  To be watching is to be alert, vigilant, ready to act -- especially upon the commands of the master as a servant.  Note that Christ says such servants will find that the master will gird himself for work and serve them, as Christ did when He washed the feet of the disciples at the Last Supper (see John 13:1-17).

 

"And if he should come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants."  The second and third watch is between 9:00 p.m. and 3:00 a.m..  According to my study Bible, these are interpreted as hours of heightened temptation.  Therefore those servants are the most blessed who remain faithful during the night.  Let us note also that this can be interpreted as a time of metaphorical spiritual darkness and difficulty, when the Light is no longer with them or seems far away from our lives (John 12:35).  It's also a time when all others are sleeping -- again, metaphorically understood as a time of falling away and forgetfulness, with a lack of spiritual awareness or zeal.  

"But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into."   Again, we can understand this metaphorically, with the thief as the devil and the influence of evil (see John 10:1-10).  

"Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect."  Here is the sobering, straightforward call for constant vigilance and quickening of our spiritual awareness.  My study Bible comments that it is not the place of anyone to try to predict the time of the return of the Son of Man, but rather to remain faithful and to be ready at every hour.  

Then Peter said to Him, "Lord, do You speak this parable only to us, or to all people?"  And the Lord said, "Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his master will make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of food in due season?  Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes.  Truly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all that he has.  But if that servant says in his heart, 'My master is delaying his coming,' and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and be drunk, the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the unbelievers."  Here my study Bible comments that the previous parable was to all people, but this parable is to the apostles and their successors,  the rulers and teachers of the Church.  These exhortations and principles of virtue, it says, and the warnings against corruption, apply specifically to those entrusted with spiritual leadership.  Note that Jesus gives images of the abuse of those other fellow servants and selfish indulgence and exploitation of the master's household.   

"And that servant who knew his master's will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.    But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few.  For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more."  My study Bible says that the judgment of the teachers of the Church will be strict (James 3:1).  The many stripes (formal punishment by lash, given in specific number) given to those who are willfully and knowingly disobedient is a symbol of condemnation.  The few stripes are for those who are disobedient out of ignorance, and indicate chastisement or correction.  

Jesus speaks to His disciples, telling them that they must continue in vigilance as His servants (servants to the Master in the parable), even after He is Ascended and no longer with them as the Jesus the human being.  The vigilance He asks, therefore, is also asked of us as the descendants of these faithful to whom He speaks in the Gospel.  So we must ask ourselves what it means to be vigilant, what it means to be watching ("Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching").  It's important to note that this word "blessed" is the same one used in the Beatitudes of the Sermon on the Mount and the Sermon on the Plain.  This kind of blessedness isn't about worldly blessings, but a state of being associated with participation in the kingdom of God ("Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom").  The word for "watching" in the Greek of the Gospel passage is γρηγορέω/gregoreo, which is highly correlated with action and quickness.  It means to be alert, watching, staying awake.  If one is a servant to a master, it stands to reason that we can infer Jesus is speaking about following His commands the He has given while He is in the world as Jesus, and practicing His worldly ministry.  At the Last Supper, Jesus teaches the disciples, "If you love Me, keep My commandments" (John 14:15).  So, to be watching, to be vigilant, is to always be on the alert for ways that we follow His commands, within the circumstances in which we find ourselves at all stages of our lives.  Note how this includes caring for the others in His Church specifically addressed to those in leadership.  Jesus asks, "Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his master will make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of food in due season?  Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes.  Truly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all that he has.  But if that servant says in his heart, 'My master is delaying his coming,' and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and be drunk, the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the unbelievers."   A steward is one in charge of a master's household and his goods.  To give His household their portion of food in due season is to "Feed My lambs" as Jesus said to Peter in His final appearance before His Ascension (John 21:15-19).  But to abuse and exploit others in the Church, to abandon responsibility, to be self-indulgent and ignoring the commands of Christ, all of that is to forfeit the name of a disciple or apostle.  We are guaranteed, in this language found here in Luke, that Christ will come at an hour we don't expect, and therefore it is constant vigilance that is asked for, not forgetting what we are to be about as good servants to the Master.  He says, "And that servant who knew his master's will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.    But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few.  For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more."   Note Christ's fairness:  those who do not know will not be held to the higher standard, but those who have been given much in the way of the spiritual truth and teachings of Jesus, will be responsible for much.  Let us therefore be prepared and vigilant, learning and growing, watchful and wakeful and alert to the call of our Lord and Master.  Let us do as we're asked as good servants.  Let us not be complacent, but be prepared to grow in the living of our faith. 

 

 

 

 

Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom

 

 "Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.  Sell what you have and give alms; provide yourselves money bags which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches nor moth destroys.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

"Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning; and you yourselves be like men who wait for their master, when he will return from the wedding, that when he comes and knocks they may open to him immediately.  Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching.  Assuredly, I say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them.  And if he should come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants.  But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into.  Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect."  

Then Peter said to Him, "Lord, do You speak this parable only to us, or to all people?"  And the Lord said, "Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his master will make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of food in due season?  Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes.  Truly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all that he has.  But if that servant says in his heart, 'My master is delaying his coming,' and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and be drunk, the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.  And that servant who knew his master's will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.  But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few.  For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more."

 

- Luke 12:32-48 

 

Yesterday we read that one from the crowd said to Jesus, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me."  But He said to him, "Man, who made Me a judge or an arbitrator over you?"  And He said to them, "Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses."  Then He spoke a parable to them, saying, "The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully.  And he thought within himself, saying, 'What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?'  So he said, 'I will do this:  I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods.  And I will say to my soul, "Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your east; eat, drink, and be merry."'  But God said to him, 'Fool!  This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?'  So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God."  Then He said to His disciples, "Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put on.  Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing.  Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither storehouse nor barn; and God feeds them.  Of how much more value are you than the birds?  And which if you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?  If you then are not able to do the least, why are you anxious for the rest?  Consider the lilies, how they grow:  they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.  If then God so clothes the grass, which today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith?  And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink. nor have an anxious mind.  For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things.  But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you."

 

  "Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.  Sell what you have and give alms; provide yourselves money bags which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches nor moth destroys.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."   Do not fear, my study bible says, is a recurring theme in this discourse.  Little flock is a reference to all believers.   A note says that they are "little" in two ways.  First, they are insignificant in the eyes of the world; and second, they are small in number when compared to the earthly and heavenly creation.  Let us note again the emphasis on giving -- that this increases our treasure in heaven.  To give also becomes a blessing to us in the sense that it help us to realize just how great our gifts truly are, when we see our effort effectively helping and spreading needed support to others.  Even the materially poorest among us is rich in gifts to give to others, including time and simply care, prayers, friendship.

"Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning; and you yourselves be like men who wait for their master, when he will return from the wedding, that when he comes and knocks they may open to him immediately.  Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching.  Assuredly, I say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them."  This is a call to be vigilant, my study bible says.  It echoes the imagery of the parable of the wise and foolish virgins in Matthew 25:1-13.  To let your waist be girded is to prepare for virtuous action, an image which comes from the common practice of workers gathering up and fastening their garments so as not to get them dirty before a task.   To keep lamps burning is to keep awake, alert, seeing; my study bible interprets that as a call to spiritual discernment.  Let us note the response of a generous and good master to his good servants:  he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them.  It reminds us of Christ washing His disciples' feet at the Last Supper.

 

"And if he should come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants."  The second watch and third watch are the hours following sunset; they include the time between 9:00 p.m. and 3:00 a.m.   My study bible says these are interpreted as hours of heightened temptation.  The servants are most blessed, therefore, who remain faithful during the night. 

"But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into.  Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect."   My study bible comments here that it is not the place of anyone to try to predict the time of the return of the Son of Man.  Rather we are called to remain faithful and to be ready at every hour.  

Then Peter said to Him, "Lord, do You speak this parable only to us, or to all people?"  And the Lord said, "Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his master will make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of food in due season?  Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes.  Truly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all that he has.  But if that servant says in his heart, 'My master is delaying his coming,' and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and be drunk, the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.  And that servant who knew his master's will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.  But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few.  For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more."  The previous parable (in the paragraph just before) applied to all people, which Peter asks about.  But in response, Jesus refers to a faithful and wise steward, indicating that it is addressed to the apostles and their successors, the rulers and teachers of the Church.  My study bible says that the exhortations to principles of virtue and the warnings against corruption apply specifically to those entrusted with spiritual leadership.  Let us note that the judgment of the teachers of the Church will be strict (James 3:1).  The many stripes which are given to those willfully and knowingly disobedient are a symbol of condemnation.  The few stripes are for those who are disobedient out of ignorance, and they indicate chastisement or correction. 

So how are we to stay busy as we await the return of our Lord?  Clearly Jesus has begun to prepare the disciples for the time that will come after His Passion.  We have already read that He has set His face for Jerusalem (9:51-53).  In today's reading we're given first a parable for all believers, and then one directed at those who would be stewards of the house of Christ, the Church.  That is, for the leaders and teachers to come, directed specifically toward the apostles and their successors, in answer to Peter's question.  First Christ reassures each one of our value to God.  This is something that we should never forget.  And that goes hand in hand with His command that we understand what it is to give toward one another, and to account to ourselves treasures in heaven by doing so.  This is a command not simply that one gives alms or charity in a conventional sense, but it is also a teaching which characterizes Jesus' broad attitude regarding the power of the soul and the acts of faith.  It is not simply about giving alms to others in which we find this attitude expressed, but also in Christ's teaching that we forgive others as we seek to be forgiven, that we shall receive mercy as we also express mercy, that we do good and even pray for our enemies.  Mind you, in the context of abusive or vicious behavior, to pray for one's enemy is not to seek to cement their behavior in stone or to approve of it, but rather to pray for their salvation which implies a better way of life.  This constant iteration in various forms of Jesus' injunction to be gracious (as God is gracious) and generous (as God is generous) is one that teaches us a tremendously expansive way of thinking and being.  It liberates us from a tit-for-tat mentality, from sizing up and measuring everything rather than living in the spirit of God's love which is not measured, and it asks us to pay no mind to vengeance but to instead seek God's will through all things -- even through attacks of our enemies.   This generous spirit is also exemplified in our readiness to do our Master's will, our focus on the tasks at hand and the things Christ wishes from us in our faith.  St. James writes that faith without works is dead, and I would invite everyone to consider to rethink our concept of what "works" are.  They might not simply be tasks we think of as work or deeds, but the simple act of prayer in private, the prayer said at a moment when we think of someone in pain or difficulty, the kind heart that reflects on how one might be able to help another who is hurting.  These are all "acts" or choices, things we choose to do.  Even our faith itself -- putting our trust in Christ -- is an "act" and something that we do.  It is, after all, what it is to "work the works of God" as Jesus defines it in John 6:27-29.  In this sense, as faithful servants to Christ, always expecting the Master's return and remaining uncertain of when exactly that will happen, our minds are always to be on living our faith, seeking first the kingdom of God, focusing on spiritual discernment through all things, remaining alert to the promptings of a heart focused on our faith in Christ.  That's essentially what He is asking us to do.  If it seems like a lot of effort, consider the magnanimous spirit that asks us to be like our Master, the One who created us in God's own image and likeness which is love.  Jesus is teaching us that magnanimity, generosity, graciousness, unmeasured mercy, and love are all attributes of a truly natural human being.  That is, they are the real groundwork of our souls made in the image and likeness of God.   This generosity that recognizes one's energy and capacity to serve God is part of living in God's kingdom.  It isn't simply an effort we must make.  It is rather coming to terms with the fact that in so living, we find ourselves blessed with abundance we didn't think we had, with a far greater capacity for personal expansion and blessedness than we knew, and with a joy that comes from realizing those capacities for good that are hidden in the smallest of acts made through faith.  We are, in fact, unlimited in ways that we don't know -- but are revealed through the life in abundance to which He seeks to draw us.  Let us remember that life and faith are a journey of discovery, which we will only find by following Him on that road (His "way") and in the true experience of a life lived in faith.  Generosity and magnanimity are hallmarks of the blessed way of life, as revealed in the Beatitudes.  This is the life of the kingdom, which it is the Father's good pleasure to give to the faithful.

Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning; and you yourselves be like men who wait for their master, when he will return from the wedding

 "Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.  Sell what you have and give alms; provide yourselves money bags which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches nor moth destroys.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

"Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning; and you yourselves be like men who wait for their master, when he will return from the wedding, that when he comes and knocks they may open to him immediately.  Blessed are those servants who the master, when he comes, will find watching.  Assuredly, I say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them.  And if he should come into the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants.  But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into.  Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect."

Then Peter said to Him, "Lord, do You speak this parable only to us, or to all people?"  And the Lord said, "Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his master will make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of food in due season?  Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes.  Truly I say to you that he will make him ruler over all that he has.  But if that servant says in his heart, 'My master is delaying his coming,' and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and be drunk, the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.  And that servant who knew his master's will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.  But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few.  For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more."

- Luke 12:32-48

 Yesterday we read that, as Jesus spoke, one from the crowd said to Him, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me."  But He said to him, "Man, who made Me a judge or an arbitrator over you?"  And He said to them, "Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses."  Then He spoke a parable to them, saying:  "The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully.  And he thought within himself, saying, 'What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?'  So he said, 'I will do this:  I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will tore all my crops and my goods.  And I will say to my soul, "Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry."'  But God said to him, 'Fool!  This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?'  So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God."  Then He said to His disciples, "Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put on.  Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing.  Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither storehouse nor barn; and God feeds them.  Of how much more value are you than the birds?  And which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?  If you then are not able to do the least, why are you anxious for the rest?  Consider the lilies, how they grow:  they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.  If then God so clothes the grass, which today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith?  And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind.  For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things.  But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you."

 "Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.  Sell what you have and give alms; provide yourselves money bags which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches nor moth destroys.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."   My study bible notes here that do not fear is a recurring theme in Christ's discourse.  Little flock refers to all believers.  How are they little?  In two ways:  they are insignificant in the eyes of the world; and they are small in number when compared to the earthly and heavenly creation.  His words here asks us where our treasure is.  He teaches that by our charity; that is, by living the love that God teaches us and the purpose for wealth God gives us, we store treasures that never fail us and cannot be taken away.

"Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning; and you yourselves be like men who wait for their master, when he will return from the wedding, that when he comes and knocks they may open to him immediately."  My study bible calls these words of Christ a call to be vigilant.  Here Christ echoes the imagery in the parable of the wise and foolish virgins in Matthew 25:1-13.  Let your waist be girded is a call to be ready for virtuous action.  To have your lamps burning is to have spiritual discernment. 

"Assuredly, I say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them.  And if he should come into the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants.  But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into.  Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect."   When the master returns, what will we expect?  In this case, the master exemplifies the virtue to which His servants should aspire.  The second and third watch is between 9:00 p.m. and 3:00 a.m., which are interpreted as hours of heightened temptation.  Therefore, the servants are most blessed who remain faithful during the night, says my study bible.  Otherwise, this may be also interpreted as those who remain prepared while others are sleeping, unaware.    We don't know when the Son of Man will return, and Jesus suggests here that it is improper to try to predict that time.  Rather, our focus is on remaining faithful, vigilant in our faith, and ready at every hour.

Then Peter said to Him, "Lord, do You speak this parable only to us, or to all people?"  An the Lord said, "Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his master will make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of food in due season?  Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes.  Truly I say to you that he will make him ruler over all that he has.  But if that servant says in his heart, 'My master is delaying his coming,' and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and be drunk, the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.  And that servant who knew his master's will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.  But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few.  For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more."  Peter asks who the previous parable was for; to His disciples, or to all people?  The earlier parable is for all people, while the parable Jesus tells here in these verses is to the apostles and their successors -- those who will be the rulers and teachers of the Church.  Jesus charges His servants that they must keep in mind His standards, most of all guarding mercy and the practice of love, care and generosity to those under them.  My study bible says that the exhortations to principles of virtue and the warnings against corruption apply specifically to those who are entrusted with spiritual leadership.   In the end of this parable, Jesus gives an indication that the judgment of the teachers of the Church will be strict (James 3:1).  The many stripes which are given to those who are willfully and knowingly disobedient symbolize condemnation, according to my study bible.  The few stripes are for those disobedient out of ignorance, indicating a softer chastisement and correction.  However we look at this, Jesus makes it clear that for those to whom much has been given, particularly in the form of spiritual understanding, much will be required.  This is especially so for those who are to care for the Church, to whom much has been committed.

Jesus speaks of the master in the parable, who, when He returns, will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them.  This is clearly an example to all of us, but especially to Peter and the apostles, for it is a signal to them about what they should be doing in the Master's absence.   What does it mean to gird oneself?   In the time of Christ, garments were long and loose, and could get in the way when doing work.  To gird oneself was to wrap up the garment around the body and secure it in such a way that it would not get in the way when doing any kind of physical work.  Cyril of Alexandria comments that "the girding of our loins signifies the readiness of the mind to work hard in every thing praiseworthy. Those who apply themselves to bodily labors and are engaged in strenuous toil have their loins girded."    This language reminds us of St. Paul's letter to the Ephesians, in which he speaks of spiritual struggle as a battle, in which we must gird our waist with truth (see Ephesians 6:10-20).  In both Jesus' words in today's reading, and in St. Paul's letter, we have exhortation to work, to struggle, to active duty.  While this duty may indeed be, as St. Paul says, to pray and to "work" in ways that involve the mind (implied by Christ's words let your waist be girded and your lamps burning), we must think of working and serving as involving all of ourselves in faith.  St. Paul tells us that participation in the battle means to "take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak."  Our active service involves work which is not only what we think of as physical labor, but a constant service to be about the things of God:  in prayer, almsgiving, spiritual study, and above all a constant ongoing work of preparing ourselves in spiritual truth, righteousness,  the gospel of peace; and above all, of our faith (as St. Paul lays it out).  What's important is that we think of these things in the ways in which Christ has given them to us:  as active service.   To know spiritual truth, to grow in the wisdom of God, to think on the Scriptures, to pray unceasingly, is every bit a part and parcel of active work and service as any other work or activity we can consider "good" in the light of our faith.  Most importantly, we should consider the context of almsgiving, and dependency upon God as opposed to anxiety about possessions -- these are the subjects Jesus has addressed just before this passage.  We can't truly know or grow in true charity and compassion without the work of prayer and communion with God, consideration of the gospel of peace, and the knowledge that all together forms a complete life in Christ.  Jesus' message tells us we have no separation between our earthly lives and participation in God's kingdom, even as we await His return.   Let us consider what our true work is -- and where true treasure is.

Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning

 "Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.  Sell what you have and give alms; provide yourselves money bags which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches nor moth destroys.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

"Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning; and you yourselves be like men who wait for their master, when he will return from the wedding, that when he comes and knocks they may open to him immediately.  Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching.  Assuredly, I say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them.  And if he should come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants.  But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into.  Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect."

Then Peter said to Him, "Lord, do You speak this parable only to us, or to all people?"  And the Lord said, "Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his master will make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of food in due season?  Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes.  Truly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all that he has.  But if that servant says in his heart, 'My master is delaying his coming,' and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and be drunk, the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.  And that servant who knew his master's will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.  But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few.  For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more."

- Luke 12:32-48

Yesterday we read that one from the crowd said to Jesus, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me."  But He said to him, "Man, who made Me a judge or an arbitrator over you?"  And He said to them, "Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses."  Then He spoke a parable to them, saying:  "The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully.  And he thought within himself, saying, 'What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?'  So he said, 'I will do this:  I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods.  And I will say to my soul, "Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry."'  But God said to him, 'Fool!  This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?'  So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God."  Then He said to His disciples, "Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put on.  Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing.  Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither storehouse nor barn; and God feeds them.  Of how much more value are you than the birds?  And which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?  If you then are not able to do the least, why are you anxious for the rest?  Consider the lilies, how they grow:  they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.  If then God so clothes the grass, which today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith?  And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind.  For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things.  But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you."

 "Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.  Sell what you have and give alms; provide yourselves money bags which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches nor moth destroys.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."  In this discourse, Jesus will return repeatedly to these words, "Do not fear."  We must contrast this with a teaching also recently given by Jesus (in Thursday's reading), and that was to fear God's power of Judgment (see Luke 12:4-5).  We contrast the two by noting Jesus' emphasis against anxiety, and repeated encouragement to trust in God to know what is good for His flock, and God's desire ("good pleasure") to given them the kingdom.  All believers are included in this little flock.  My study bible says that they are little in two ways:  (1) they are insignificant in the eyes of the world, and (2) they are small in number when compared to earthly and heavenly creation.  We note once again the emphasis on a kind of exchange:  giving earthly alms, practicing love and charity and mercy, fills us with an inalienable and indestructible treasure.   Where our treasure is, there our heart goes also.   That is, the full center of who we are.

"Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning; and you yourselves be like men who wait for their master, when he will return from the wedding, that when he comes and knocks they may open to him immediately.  Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching.  Assuredly, I say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them.  And if he should come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants.  But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into.  Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect."    This call for vigilance on the part of His followers echoes the imagery of the parable of the wise and foolish virgins (Matthew 25:1-13).  Let your waist be girded refers to preparation for virtuous action, a kind of readiness for immediate action.  Your lamps burning means spiritual discernment must always be in operation.  Taken together they refer to readiness to carry out commands of the Master and constant vigilance for full preparation.  The second and third watch is between 9:00 p.m. and 3:00 a.m., which my study bible says is interpreted as hours of heightened temptation.  The servants are most blessed who remain faithful during the night.  Christ has already taught that there is only one thing to fear, and that is the judgment of God.  Here the unpredictable return of the Master, the Son of Man, is what is emphasized.  We are simply to remain faithful and be ready at every hour. 

Then Peter said to Him, "Lord, do You speak this parable only to us, or to all people?"  And the Lord said, "Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his master will make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of food in due season?  Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes.  Truly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all that he has.  But if that servant says in his heart, 'My master is delaying his coming,' and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and be drunk, the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the unbelievers."  Peter asks an important question.  Jesus' response, to speak of the faithful and wise steward, is to give a parable that does indeed speak to the apostles and their successors, those who will be rulers and teachers of the Church.  They are the stewards of the Church.  A good steward is one who is always aware of the Master's commands, and cares for the entire household with its full good in mind, especially careful to be in relationship with the servants for such an end and goal.  But a steward who runs the Master's household as if it is only for his own lording over, for his power, to exploit the people and things of the household, will face the harshest penalty.  To those who are corrupt the Master will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.

"And that servant who knew his master's will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.  But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few.  For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more."  Here is a statement about judgment.  Those who know and to whom has been given much will be fully responsible for violating the wisdom, power, and knowledge they've been given.  (See James 3:1.)  The many stripes symbolize condemnation to those who are willfully and knowingly disobedient.  The few stripes, says my study bible, are for those disobedient out of ignorance and indicate chastisement or correction.

The call to vigilance is a very serious one.  How do we take our faith?  Particularly to those who "know," who have been given much, the strictness of Jesus is very deliberate.  The more that has been given, the greater the responsibility.  He especially emphasizes the temptations of power and authority.  Those are temptations to exploit, to mistreat, to use the Church as if it were personal property, to understand authority not as something held in stewardship and service to the fullness of the Church, but rather to be used as personal extension of oneself.  Greatness, Jesus will repeatedly teach, is found in humility.  True greatness is found in the one who would be servant or slave to all.  When He speaks of keeping the waist girded (that is, a way of tying up outer garments so one is ready for action) and lamps burning, He's speaking about the constant readiness and vigilance in keeping His word and following His commands.  So much emphasis has been put on almsgiving and the interior life  in this sermon that it is also unmistakably addressing temptations to all forms of greed and selfishness.  That is, the inner life -- particularly of those who will be His stewards in His Church -- must never be neglected.  In such a state, the temptations to power will be far greater.  Exploitation and corruption will always be temptations; Jesus demands much more of His stewards than of the rest.  The goals of the practice of charity, then, become much deeper goals of inward humility before God.  They become a shoring up of strength in service.  The constant vigilance of prayer and spiritual work means a greater fight against the temptations that lurk in the dark, unless one's lamp is always kept burning so that we may truly see what we are about.  All of this works together for a life within His grace, and it is particularly so for those who would be in leadership or who are graced with the teachings He has to give.  The penalties are harsher for those who know better and fail in this mission of loyalty and love and care for the little flock.  Christ asks of us a kind of strength and courage which teach us what stewardship really is.  In the Church, we're led to understand that stewardship isn't only about the Church, but of all the world and everything in it that is God's creation, every living thing, every creature.  It is all a great gift, and none of it truly belongs to us.  It is in our care.  To be a good steward is to remember His commands at all times, to be ready to take action against our own temptations and to shine a light on our own weaknesses, so that we may truly serve Him best and be prepared for His return.  He wants to find us watching -- alert and awake, constantly mindful of all that we are to be about.