Daily Catholic Lectio. Wed, 23 October ’24. Much will be expected!

Daily Catholic Lectio

Wed, 23 October ‘24

XXIX Week in Ordinary Time, Wednesday

Ephesians 3:12-22. Luke 12:39-48

Much will be expected!

“When God, who has given us much, expects much from us, to repay him we must let go of the lower and embrace the higher.”

The gospel reading, which is set in the background of preparedness, being awake, waiting, and the advent of the Son of Man, is divided into two sections. In the first, Jesus instructs that, as an alert and awake master of the house who safeguards his property against robbery, his disciples must be alert and awake, waiting for the coming of the Son of Man. Peter, who hears this instruction, asks Jesus, “Lord, are you telling this parable for us or for all?” The second section comes to answer Peter’s question.

Here, Jesus puts before us the metaphor of two servants:

(a) A servant who grew up to become the steward. This servant has three characteristics: he is faithful to the master, he is wise, and he gives the servants food on time. He was a servant but was raised to become the steward because his master found him pleasing.

(b) A servant who was beaten up by the master. This servant is presumptuous, overthinking, angry, envious, violent, and drunken. He takes his master for granted; he deals with his colleagues unpleasantly, and he is distracted. The master expels him from work. If he behaves this way despite knowing the master’s will, the punishment is greater.

Jesus leaves it to the disciples to choose what type of servant they want to become. It is a literary element to propose two elements to the reader, and he or she may choose any one of them. This is known as ‘Two Ways Theology.’ In Wisdom literature, we constantly come across this literary element. Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount also ends in a similar way: two foundations (cf. Mt 7:24-27)

The gospel reading ends with a wisdom saying: “Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand more.”

What are the takeaways from the gospel reading?

(a) Preparedness without weakness

A blind spot makes the drivers meet with accidents; a weak spot in a house opens space for the robbers. The master of the house must ensure that all weak spots are attended to. In our lives as well, when there are weak spots, our lives will be robbed. What is required is that we get rid of our weaknesses and acquire full-time preparedness.

(b) Choosing the higher way

Whatever stage of life we are in, God has brought us to this stage, not to remain in this stage but to go higher. A servant must never remain a servant; he must become a steward. He is given a lot of opportunities to rise high in work. When he embraces the higher way, i.e., doing what is pleasing to the master, he grows high; when he embraces the lower way, i.e., doing what is displeasing to the master, such as being presumptuous, overthinking, angry, envious, violent, and drunken, he will become extinct.

(c) Much will be expected!

Grant Cardone, the author of The 10X Rule: The Only Difference between Success and Failure, says, “You should set targets for yourself that are 10X greater than what you believe you can achieve, and you should take actions that are 10X greater than what you believe are necessary to achieve your goals. The biggest mistake most people make in life is not setting goals high enough.” When we strive for much, we will receive much, and we can give back much. A little is expected of a servant because he has less; much is expected of a steward because he has much.

In the first reading, Paul writes to the Ephesians, “You have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace that was given to me for your benefit, namely, that the mystery was made known to me by revelation.” Paul is a steward not only of the people but also of the revelation that he has obtained.

“When God, who has given us much, expects much from us, to repay him we must let go of the lower and embrace the higher.”

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The ‘pilgrims of hope,’ realising that human life is built on virtues (cf. CCC, 1803), grow in virtues. (Jubilee 2025 AD, bite 232)

Fr. Yesu Karunanidhi

Archdiocese of Madurai

Missionary of Mercy