Trong bài Dụ ngôn hôm nay, Chúa
Giêsu cho chúng ta thấy một thí dụ về người đầy tớ trung thành, biết lo việc nhà
và biết trông chờ
và sẵn sàng mở cửa cho người chủ trở về không biết lúc nào. dụ ngôn này,
Chúa Giêsu đã nhấn mạnh cho
chúng ta biết sự
cần thiết về đức tin và sự kỳ vọng thận trọng của chúng ta. Chúng ta biết chắc chắn rằng Thiên Chúa sẽ đến, nhưng chúng ta không biết ngày nào hay giờ nào. Như người đầy tớ khôn ngoan chúng ta phải
biết sẵn
sàng, tỉnh thức và chờ đợi cho đến khi Chúa đến. Đó mới là người xứng đáng lãnh được phần thưởng nơi Thiên Chúa.
Thánh Basil đã viết: "Những gì là dấu hiệu của một Kitô hữu? Phải chú ý từng ngày, từng giờ và biết sẵn sàng trong trạng thái chuẩn bị trong sự hoàn hảo đó là phải
biết làm đẹp lòng
Thiên Chúa, và phải nhớ rằng Chúa sẽ đến trong bất cứ
giờ phút nào.". Có lẽ ai trong chúng
ta cũng đã phải trải qua một mất mát bất ngờ của một
người bạn hoặc người thân, mà trong số họ là những người còn qua trẻ.
Có bao giờ chúng
ta đã trở nên quá gắn liền cuộc sống của chúng ta với những thứ hay hư nát của thế gian này, mà chúng
ta đã quên và
không chuẩn bị sẵn
sàng
cho ngày mà Chúa đã trở lại với chúng ta trong ngày Sau hết.? Tinh thần
và đạo đức của chúng ta phải là một tấm gương sang và trở thành một ví dụ thực
sự tốt cho những người khác dưới sự chăm sóc và hướng dẫn của chúng ta. Đó là
một trách nhiệm nghiêm trọng có giá trị cao cần phải được phản ánh.
Xin Chúa giúp chúng con luôn biết
sẵn sàng và sống đúng với vai trò và bổn phận của chúng con, để nhờ đó mà những
người chung quanh có thể nhận biết Chúa qua những việc chúng con đã và đang
làm..
REFLECTION
There are two lessons in the Gospel reading today: preparedness for Jesus' coming, and responsibility to develop and make use of gifts given to us by God. The parable of the servants waiting for the master's return emphasizes the need for faith and vigilant expectation on our part. We know for sure that God is coming, but we do not know the hour. The wise servant is he who is ready and waiting for the master's arrival. It is he who deserves reward from the master. St. Basil writes: "What is the mark of a Christian? To watch daily and hourly and stand prepared in that state of perfection which is pleasing to God, knowing that at what hour he thinks not, the Lord will come." Perhaps some of us must have experienced an unexpected loss of a friend or relative, some of them still in the youthful years of life. Have we become too attached to things of this world, that we have forgotten to be ready, at all times, for God's coming?
The other message tells us of our responsibility and
accountability to God for the gifts and talents he has bestowed on each of us.
Greater responsibility entails greater accountability. When a person is placed
in a position that allows him to guide, care, and influence others, much more
is required of his moral, spiritual and ethical life so that he becomes a truly
good example to those under his care. It is a responsibility worth serious
reflection.
"Lord,
you are faithful even when I fail. Help me to remain ever faithful to you and
to not shrink back when I encounter difficulties. Make me diligent in the
exercise of my responsibilities and wise and prudent in the use of my gifts,
time and resources.
Wed 24th Oct 2018 29th Week in Ordinary Time (B)
To find an example of the faithful
steward of the Gospel we have only to look at the first reading. Paul refers to
himself as the steward of God's mysteries. He was entrusted with the task of
revealing for the first time that the Gentiles were also to enjoy the privilege
of knowing Christ and being members of his body. Such a privilege would make an
enormous difference to their lives.
Again and again it emerges
in the Acts of the Apostles and his letters how the love of Christ urged Paul
on through many dangers and difficulties. He spared no effort to bring Christ
to the many and the many to Christ. For lesser human beings the energy and
conviction of Paul are almost overwhelming. We need not, however, be
discouraged. Stewardship can be exercised by all of us in different ways in
accordance with our differing temperaments.
For more than ten years I
have been attending catechumens' classes in a student hostel attached to a
university. The classes are run by young men and women, some of whom have been
themselves recently baptized. Many of these latter-day Paul have taken demanding
courses run by the diocese. I am a mute spectator, deeply moved by the
simplicity and honesty of the participants. Lord, lead us to be good stewards in your vineyard.
Wednesday of the Twenty-ninth Week in Ordinary Time. 2023 Luke 12:39-48
Wednesday of the Twenty-Ninth Week in Ordinary Time
Jesus
said to his disciples: “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.” Luke 12:39–40
These
words from Jesus should cause us to sit up and take notice. This parable,
followed by the rest of today’s Gospel, exhorts us to always be prepared for
our particular judgment at the conclusion of our earthly life. There are
various reasons these words should be heeded.
First
of all, the obvious reason is that life for any of us could end at any time. We
only need to recall various tragedies in which people have suddenly died from a
car accident or from some other unexpected reason. Furthermore, there truly
will be a specific moment in time when our Lord does return to earth for the
Final Judgment. That moment will take place in an instant without any warning.
It’s easy to presume that this end of the world when our Lord “comes to judge
the living and the dead” will not happen for hundreds or perhaps even thousands
of years. But the simple truth is that it could be at any time, when those who
are alive least expect it.
With
that said, there is another important reason to always be prepared and ready to
meet our Lord for our particular judgment. Even though our particular judgment
will take place in a definitive way at the end of our life when we see our Lord
face-to-face, we also encounter Him every day, all day, receiving daily rewards
for our fidelity or judgment for our sins. It is useful to see this “hour you
do not expect” as every moment of every day. If you can live every day with
this ongoing expectation that our Lord is coming to you, today, then every
moment can be turned into a moment of much grace.
Think
about your day today. Does God want to come to you, to inspire you and to lead
you to fulfill His holy mission today? Indeed He does. He has a specific
mission for you today that will not be there tomorrow. He wants you to be aware
of His presence right now so that you can respond to Him with much generosity.
Reflect,
today, upon the importance of always being vigilant and attentive to God’s
presence in your life. He wishes to speak to you, day and night, so as to guide
you into a life of true holiness. If you can build a habit of attentiveness to
His continual comings, then you will truly be prepared for that final coming
when you meet our Lord face-to-face.
My ever-present Lord, You do come to me day and night, speaking to
me, inspiring me, and leading me. Please fill me with the gift of holy
vigilance so that I will always be prepared to meet You and hear Your holy
voice. May I learn to build a habit of responding to You always. And may I
especially be prepared for that glorious moment when I am blessed to see You
face-to-face. Jesus, I trust in You.
Wednesday of the Twenty-ninth Week in Ordinary Time. 2023
Introductory Prayer: Lord
Jesus, my Creator, and Redeemer, everything good comes from you. You are the
one source of peace and happiness. Thank you for bringing me into existence and
ensuring I received the invaluable gift of the faith.Thank you for accompanying
me in every moment. I am grateful for your mercy and love, and wish to respond
more generously to you in my life.
Petition: Lord, help me to be a
faithful and prudent steward.
1. Wanted: Faithful and Prudent Stewards: Anyone who has had a management position knows that one of the
riskiest parts of the job is hiring. Very often, it can seem like rolling dice,
especially when there is a conflict between what’s read in the resume and
what’s felt in the gut. Nevertheless, to make a good hire, you need to have a
clear idea of what you want. The Lord has a simple job description for the
stewards he is looking to bring on. They must be faithful and prudent. In being
faithful, they don’t seek to impose their vision or desires over his, but
rather serve the Master who has given them their commission. Their will is such
that they are confident in assimilating the desires of their master. They can
perceive how to adjust and adapt to the multitude of circumstances that arises.
These stewards are continually applying the old wristband test, “WWJD,” i.e.,
What Would Jesus Do?
2. Tasting One’s Own Medicine: Having
been “hired” by the master, it would be foolish not to expect to be held
accountable for the trust that he bestows. Nevertheless, the irresponsible
steward indulges his appetites and abuses his authority. The master’s “delay”
gives him a false sense of security. Without the natural brake of his master’s
watchful eye, his pride gets out of control. Yet the master is bound to return,
and the servant eventually experiences the results of his arrogance: the taste
of his own medicine is bitter indeed. The Lord is inviting us to have a greater
awareness of his constant presence. His absence and “delay” are only apparent.
He is very much present to those who wish to live their God-given charge with
integrity and responsibility. His grace is always available to those who live
their lives in his presence.
3. Management Styles: The two
types of stewards have very different management styles. One beats the
servants; the other “distributes the food allowance at the proper time.” We all
want to be counted among those faithful and prudent stewards who take good care
of those entrusted to us. Yet at times, the responsibility we have seems more
burdensome than desirable. While the bad steward indulges his passions, the
good steward is in danger of giving into his fatigue and impatience.
Frustration is a distinct possibility when it comes to forming others. If the
Lord died such a cruel death for our salvation, who can measure the value of a
single soul? By contemplating that example, we need to learn to put aside our
petty annoyances and instead be faithful in caring for those entrusted to
us.
Conversation with Christ: Lord
Jesus, you have given me such great responsibility. I am sorry for the times I
have offended you, and for when I have not lived up to the trust you have
bestowed on me. I promise you that I will strive to reflect your love for those
to whom you have entrusted to my care.
Resolution: When my patience is
tested, I will pause and ask myself, “How does the Lord want me to handle this
situation?”
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