Christ, El Greco, painted 1590-95

Readings

New American Bible (Philippines, USA)

Jerusalem Bible (Australia, England & Wales, Scotland)

Gospel [Lk 12:32-48 or 12:35-40]

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.”

or

Jesus said to his disciples:
“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 the servants 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.”

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Suppose Jesus came back today and asked to visit our prisons in the Philippines, particularly those that have minors jailed, would we feel ready to welcome him? Read my current column of my Columban colleague, Father Shay Cullen, Respect, Affirmation, Dignity, Restores Broken Lives, and ask 'Am I ready to welcome Jesus to the Philippines if He came back today? Are we ready to welcome Jesus to the Philippines if He came back today?

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Cherishing the Precious Gift of Faith

Biblical Reflection for 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time C

 By Father Thomas Rosica, CSB 

TORONTO, JULY 29, 2010 (Zenit.org).- Named after the wisest of all the Israelite kings, Solomon, the book of Wisdom was used as a manual or textbook for young Jews living in a Greek culture from 300 B.C. to 200 A.D. The Jews were awed by the brilliant culture around them, and perhaps feared that their traditional values might be inferior to those of Egyptian society. Wisdom consisted of a series of wise sayings, philosophical and moral discussions, religious apologetics, science, and rhetoric. The authors strove to educate and build up the Jewish faith in a foreign environment.

Full text here.

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Waiting for God

Benedict Jonak O.P.

Email

I don't know anybody who thinks that the end of world is a good thing; actually I know very few people who want the end of the world to happen. Yet this certainly is a desirable event, when at the end of time Christ will come in glory.

The end of the world is Good News. In today's Gospel Jesus gives us the promise of the end of the world specifically as a consolation and not as a cause for anxiety: 'Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.'

We were given the promise that when the master comes he will reward his faithful servants. Of course there have been many people who claim that they do their master's will. Pointing to God as the one who is the source of our actions can become a way of avoiding taking responsibility for our behaviour.

Full text here.