TO WHOM MUCH IS GIVEN: 19TH SUNDAY, YEAR C, 7TH AUGUST 2022.
WISDOM 18:6-9; PSALM 33; HEBREWS 11:1-2, 8-19; LUKE 12:32-48.
Grace and peace to you my dear brothers and sisters in the Lord.
Our Gospel this morning can be divided into three parts.
The first part is a continuation of the Gospel of last week, which focuses on building our treasures in heaven, where, after all, we shall spend our eternity.
The second part is a warning for us to be spiritually vigilant, like a steward who waits for his master’s return.
The third part is the parable of the wise and faithful steward.
This parable is meant as a reminder for us that Jesus is our Master and we are His stewards. He has entrusted many things to us and to Him we shall render an account of all that He has entrusted.
Two questions will form our reflection today.
A. What have we been given?
B. What does the Master expect from us?
Today’s Gospel ends with this familiar saying, “When a man has had a great deal given him, a great deal will be demanded of him.”
What great deal has the Lord entrusted to us?
Let me mention five:
I. Our life: Everyone here today has received the greatest gift – the gift of being, the opportunity to exist, the gift of life. Going deeper, for many of us here, our life is a miracle. We have been saved, like the Israelites were saved from the Egyptians and the Red Sea (the First Reading). Some of us ought not to be alive today but we are. Our life is given to us as a gift. God has given us time in life to live again, to live well, bless others and seek eternity.
II. Our faith: This is the blessing of knowing God and having a relationship with Him (Second Reading). Not everyone has this; not every one is fortunate enough to have access to the grace, strength and privileges that faith offers.
III. Good families: Some of us have the rare opportunity of being brought up by wonderful parents/guardians in the ways of the Lord and good moral values. For those of us who might not have had the privilege of growing up in a good home, God has given us a family of faith and He has sent wonderful people to us in life to help us become who He wants us to become. More will be expected of us.
IV. Worldly means: Some of us are reasonably comfortable in material terms and some of us are in positions of authority – we have power and people under us. We are not the master, we are stewards of these privileges.
IV. Our vocation: We who are called to be ministers of the Word and sacraments, have received so many privileges and God will demand more from us. For those of us called to the married life, we have been entrusted with the responsibility of caring for our spouses and making society better by nurturing a spiritually healthy family for God. Much will be required of us.
How grateful are we for all that God has entrusted to us?
How obedient are we to what He commands?
How diligent are we in performing the tasks we have been given?
How accountable and responsible are we?
How kind and charitable are we to others with all that God has blessed us with?
These are the demands that will be made of each of us.
Remember again, to whom much is given, much will be required.