Wednesday, 23 October 2024

ACCOUNTABILITY AS SERVANTS OF THE GOSPEL

20241023 ACCOUNTABILITY AS SERVANTS OF THE GOSPEL

 

First reading

Ephesians 3:2-12

The pagans now share the same inheritance

You have probably heard how I have been entrusted by God with the grace he meant for you, and that it was by a revelation that I was given the knowledge of the mystery, as I have just described it very shortly. If you read my word you will have some idea of the depths that I see in the mystery of Christ. This that has now been revealed through the Spirit to his holy apostles and prophets was unknown to any men in past generations; it means that pagans now share the same inheritance, that they are parts of the same body, and that the same promise has been made to them, in Jesus Christ, through the gospel. I have been made the servant of that gospel by a gift of grace from God who gave it to me by his own power. I, who am less than the least of all the saints have been entrusted with this special grace, not only of proclaiming to the pagans the infinite treasure of Christ but also of explaining how the mystery is to be dispensed. Through all the ages, this has been kept hidden in God, the creator of everything. Why? So that the Sovereignties and Powers should learn only now, through the Church, how comprehensive God’s wisdom really is, exactly according to the plan which he had had from all eternity in Christ Jesus our Lord. This is why we are bold enough to approach God in complete confidence, through our faith in him.


Responsorial Psalm

Isaiah 12

The rejoicing of a redeemed people

With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.

Truly, God is my salvation,

  I trust, I shall not fear.

For the Lord is my strength, my song,

  he became my saviour.

With joy you will draw water

  from the wells of salvation.

With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.

Give thanks to the Lord, give praise to his name!

  Make his mighty deeds known to the peoples!

  Declare the greatness of his name.

With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.

Sing a psalm to the Lord

  for he has done glorious deeds;

  make them known to all the earth!

People of Zion, sing and shout for joy,

  for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.

With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.


Gospel Acclamation

Jn10:27

Alleluia, alleluia!

The sheep that belong to me listen to my voice, 

says the Lord, 

I know them and they follow me.

Alleluia!

Or:

Mt24:42,44

Alleluia, alleluia!

Stay awake and stand ready,

because you do not know the hour

when the Son of Man is coming.

Alleluia!


Gospel

Luke 12:39-48

The Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect

Jesus said to his disciples:

  ‘You may be quite sure of this, that if the householder had known at what hour the burglar would come, he would not have let anyone break through the wall of his house. You too must stand ready, because the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.’

  Peter said, ‘Lord, do you mean this parable for us, or for everyone?’ The Lord replied, ‘What sort of steward, then, is faithful and wise enough for the master to place him over his household to give them their allowance of food at the proper time? Happy that servant if his master’s arrival finds him at this employment. I tell you truly, he will place him over everything he owns. But as for the servant who says to himself, “My master is taking his time coming,” and sets about beating the menservants and the maids, and eating and drinking and getting drunk, his master will come on a day he does not expect and at an hour he does not know. The master will cut him off and send him to the same fate as the unfaithful.

  The servant who knows what his master wants, but has not even started to carry out those wishes, will receive very many strokes of the lash. The one who did not know, but deserves to be beaten for what he has done, will receive fewer strokes. When a man has had a great deal given him, a great deal will be demanded of him; when a man has had a great deal given him on trust, even more will be expected of him.’

 

 

23 October 2024, Wednesday, 29th Week in Ordinary Time

ACCOUNTABILITY AS SERVANTS OF THE GOSPEL


SCRIPTURE READINGS: [EPHESIANS 3:2-12LUKE 12:39-48]

In the gospel the Lord said to His disciples: “You may be quite sure of this, that if the householder had known at what hour the burglar would come, he would not have let anyone break through the wall of his house. You too must stand ready, because the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”  In this parable, the Lord is speaking about His second coming.  One must therefore be ready at all times to welcome the Lord, not just at His second coming but at every moment in our lives.  We must be alert at His coming so that we will be ready to present ourselves before Him.

When Peter said, “Lord, do you mean this parable for us, or for everyone?” The Lord replied, “What sort of steward, then, is faithful and wise enough for the master to place him over his household to give them their allowance of food at the proper time?”  In saying this, the Lord specifically refers to leaders and those of us who have people under our care. It means that all of us are stewards in some sense and therefore will be judged according to how we exercise our stewardship.  The best way to prepare ourselves to welcome the Lord is not simply just to wait and pray and do nothing.  The Lord said, “Happy that servant if his master’s arrival finds him at this employment.”  Indeed, the best way is to continue to live our lives with purpose, passion in service of others and of God. This is particularly true for Church leaders, clerical or lay, and even those who exercise leadership in society.  Being God’s stewards of His household, His family, we are held accountable as to how we take care of God’s people placed under our charge.

The truth is that not many of us are conscious that we are exercising stewardship on behalf of God.  We think we are only answerable to ourselves.  This is what the world is advocating in the name of human rights and freedom.  We answer to no one but to ourselves.  We think that whatever we do is for ourselves.  We are responsible only to ourselves, whether we want to be happy or sad, to work hard or to be lazy.  But in truth, whatever the Lord has given to us, especially when we are entrusted with the care of others, we are held responsible – not just to those under our charge, or to the organization and society we belong to but also to God.

Indeed, the reward of being faithful to what the Lord has entrusted to us is to be given more responsibility. To that servant when his master’s arrival finds him at his employment, the Lord assures us, “I tell you truly, he will place him over everything he owns.”  He who can be trusted with small things will eventually be given bigger things to manage in life. It is delusional to think that we can manage bigger matters in life when we cannot handle small things.  There are some who want to be promoted to higher positions in their job.  They are ambitious and may even use unscrupulous means to get themselves promoted.  Some are envious that others are promoted whilst they are not.  In truth, there is no need to compete for promotion in life.  If we show ourselves to be good stewards, good workers, doing our best in our work, being responsible and meticulous, people will see our capabilities and when they need to find someone to fill a higher position in the organization, they will know who to call.  Of course, we always give the more important jobs to those whom we think can accomplish them.  Why would we want to entrust our money or our work to someone who would mess up everything and destroy all that we have built?

As for those who seek to be promoted through deceit, manipulation and cheating, they will pay a higher price for doing so.  Because they will show that they cannot do their work properly and they will be thrown out, as the Lord said, “But as for the servant who says to himself, ‘My master is taking his time coming,’ and sets about beating the manservants and the maids, and eating and drinking and getting drunk, his master will come on a day he does not expect and at an hour he does not know. The master will cut him off and send him to the same fate as the unfaithful.”  This is true not just when it comes to accountability before God at the end of our life, it begins here and now.  Those who cheat the organization or their colleagues and bosses, ultimately cheat themselves because their true motives and weaknesses will be brought to light.  They will eventually be exposed and be castigated. These are servants who have been unfaithful, irresponsible, self-serving, thinking only about pleasures and enjoyment in this.

However, it would be quite different for those who are ignorant of God or their responsibilities.  There are people who come from secular backgrounds.  Their only friends are those of the world.  They think like them and are influenced by them.  They behave like them.  What do we expect worldly people to be like?  Without the influence of the gospel and a living and sensitive conscience, they will act like what selfish people in the world do to each other.  As St Paul tells us in Galatians, “Now the works of the flesh are obvious: fornication, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, anger, quarrels, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these. I am warning you, as I warned you before: those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.”  (Gal 5:19-21) For such people, the Lord said, “The one who did not know but deserves to be beaten for what he has done, will receive fewer strokes.”

It is different in the case of “the servant who knows what his master wants but has not even started to carry out those wishes, (he) will receive very many strokes of the lash. When a man has had a great deal given him, a great deal will be demanded of him; when a man has had a great deal given him on trust, even more will be expected of him.”  Consequently, we must be responsible for what the Lord has entrusted us in life, whether it be resources, talents, wealth, health or influence.  We must use all we have for the glory of God and for the service of our fellowmen.  The more we have, the more we are called to give back to God and our community.  The less we have, then we need to give back only what we have received.  God is fair.  In the eyes of God, all that we have belong to Him.  They are entrusted to us in different ways but all are required to be responsible for them.  The gifts given to us are not for ourselves but ultimately for others.  This is why St Paul urged the Christians, “we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another. We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us: prophecy, in proportion to faith; ministry, in ministering; the teacher, in teaching; the exhorter, in exhortation; the giver, in generosity; the leader, in diligence; the compassionate, in cheerfulness.”  (Rom 12:4-8) 

St Paul in the first reading shows us what it means to be entrusted with the gifts of God.  He said, “You have probably heard how I have been entrusted by God with the grace he meant for you, and that it was by a revelation that I was given the knowledge of the mystery.”  St Paul was conscious that what he received from God was not for himself but for all.  “This mystery that has now been revealed through the Spirit to his holy apostles and prophets was unknown to any man in past generations; it means that pagans now share the same inheritance, that they are parts of the same body, and that the same promise has been made to them, in Christ Jesus, through the gospel.”  He himself, as he said, had been made “the servant of that gospel by a gift of grace from God who gave it to me by his own power. I, who am less than the least of all the saints, have been entrusted with this special grace, not only of proclaiming to the pagans the infinite treasure of Christ but also of explaining how the mystery is to be dispensed.”  And it is with a great sense of responsibility that St Paul laboured for the gospel with all the strength and resources he had.  At the end of his life, he could say with sincerity and humility, “As for me, I am already being poured out as a libation, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. From now on there is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have longed for his appearing.”  (2 Tim 4:6-8)


Written by His Eminence, Cardinal William SC Goh, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore © All Rights Reserved. 

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