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Gospel: Luke 12.32-48
Jesus said to his disciples:
“Do not be afraid any longer, little flock,
for your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom.
Sell your belongings and give alms.
Provide money bags for yourselves that do not wear out,
an inexhaustible treasure in heaven
that no thief can reach nor moth destroy.
For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.
“Gird your loins and light your lamps
and be like servants who await their master’s return from a wedding,
ready to open immediately when he comes and knocks.
Blessed are those servants
whom the master finds vigilant on his arrival.
Amen, I say to you, he will gird himself,
have them recline at table, and proceed to wait on them.
And should he come in the second or third watch
and find them prepared in this way,
blessed are those servants.
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, the master will put the servant
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.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
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“Students, please take out two sheets of paper and a sharpened pencil. Begin answering the questions on the board. You’ll have thirty minutes to complete your work.”
“Yes, this is a pop quiz.”
***
In high school, those five alarming words – this is a pop quiz– made my stomach drop. It felt like some of my teachers just loved to torture us.
Anyone who didn’t do the previous night’s readings or who fell asleep during yesterday’s math lesson was doomed to fail.
As an achiever who tried earning good grades, being caught off guard or unprepared was the worst feeling ever.
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In the Gospel, Jesus tells us to, “Be like servants who await their master’s return.”
Like a high school teacher announcing a pop quiz, we simply don’t know when he’s coming back. It’s best to be ready.
But is the Lord’s return something we should fear? Or is it something we should welcome?
I suppose a large part of our answer depends upon our image of God. So who is God to me?
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Is God like a distant father figure? Maybe a stickler for rules who holds me accountable for every little misstep?
Or is God my shepherd, my intimate friend, who loves me in spite of my failings?
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Part of Luke’s motivation for writing his Gospel is to help shape our view of God. In particular, Luke is writing to the second generation of Christians who, like us, didn’t have direct contact with Jesus.
Their elders expected the Lord to return immediately, but since Jesus didn’t, some left the faith and became morally lax.
God became a distant figure; someone they’d deal with at the end of their lives – if he’s there at all. It’s a temptation that people still fall into today.
Frankly, most people aren’t concerned with the second coming of Jesus. They’re more worried about their grocery list or what’s next on Netflix.
Yet at the same time, Americans have become increasingly fragile, even obsessed over the truth of our own mortality. Think of random shootings that happen with increasing frequency across the country; floods like those in Kentucky; or wildfires out West.
Even though the chance of being caught in such a nightmare is minimal, it’s strong enough to put fear in our bones. We’re captivated by it on the nightly news.
The truth is, we know our end is somewhere on the horizon, but many treat it like something they’ll deal with tomorrow.
If God’s there, we’ll deal with him then.
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But Jesus says to, “Be like servants who await their master’s return.” So, what does it mean to be ready? Being at peace with God – and at peace with one another.
This is why I try examining my own conscience at the end of each night, asking myself questions like: Where did I encounter the Lord today? How kind was I to my neighbor? Did I grow in love?
It’s a simple way to stay accountable – to stay ready.
***
“Students, please take out two sheets of paper and a sharpened pencil. Begin answering the questions on the board. Yes, this is a pop quiz.”
Just as I cannot borrow another student’s work, I cannot borrow another person’s relationship with God.
I have my own – and you have yours.
The beauty is, however, that there’s no competition. Everyone has the opportunity to enter into the kingdom.
So, if the Lord were returning tonight, then what might you do to put your affairs in order?
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First, you might resolve all conflict; forgive wrongdoings; offer apologies where needed; and go to confession. Maybe you’d tell others you love them; thank those who’ve been good to you; and hug a friend.
“Blessed are those servants,” Jesus says, “whom the master finds vigilant on his arrival.”
Even if the Lord doesn’t return tonight, doing these things tidy up our spirit, showing the Lord how seriously we take our faith; that we’re ready to embrace him whenever he comes.
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Pop quiz?
No worries.
I’m ready.
Are you?
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Image credits: (1) David Jeremiah Blog (2) ETS Dental (3) Christianity.com