My Dear People,

Last week we read from Ecclesiastes, and we learned that all is vanity. The one who built greater granaries was told that was not what he should be really concerned about. In relation to God, he was going in the wrong direction. Today the Gospel of Luke tells us how to avoid vanity and how to be ready when the Lord calls us. What is it that Jesus tells us in the Gospel of Luke in order to avoid that “vanity” we discussed last week? In today’s Gospel, Jesus speaks of “constant vigilance.” Vigilance is what should characterize the life of a Christian. The image of the Passover lies in the background, which is the great liturgical vigil when Israel awaited the arrival of the Lord to take them away and betroth them to himself at Sinai—thus, the imagery of staying awake on a wedding night. 

Jesus says the master will return and “wait” on the servant while they “recline at table.” This was not ancient custom—no master would come home and then wait on his servants. This is, however, Eucharistic, and eschatological imagery. We “wait” for the Lord during the Eucharistic celebration, and at communion, the celebrant “waits” on us and serves us the meal as we “recline” at the table of the Lord. This in itself is a type of anticipation of the heavenly banquet, our eternal reward. 

What does it mean to speak of the coming of the Son of Man? In the first sense, it refers to Jesus’s Second Coming at the end of time to judge all mankind. No one knows when this will arrive. In the second sense, this refers to Jesus coming for us at the hour of death, which likewise, we do not know. In the third sense, this refers to a “visitation” from the Lord in a season of testing, a time when Jesus may come to us to test our faith as the Lord did to Abraham in Genesis 22, as mentioned in the First Reading.

For all these “comings” of the Lord we need to be ready and alert, that is, not given over to indulgence of the threefold concupiscence: Lust of the flesh such as sexual sins and gluttony, lust of the eyes (greed, avarice, attachment), and pride. A life of prayer, penance  (like mortifications and periodic fasting), and frequenting the sacraments constitutes “vigilance.” Such a lifestyle keeps the spirit from becoming sluggish due to indulgences of the flesh. 

It is not just an accident that in response to Peter’s question, the Lord begins to talk about a “faithful and prudent steward” who will be put in charge of all the servants. Some scripture scholars think that this portion of the gospel was put in to emphasize the Petrine role in the Church.

Peter and his successors are the “faithful and prudent steward” appointed over all the servants to “distribute the food allowance, at the proper time,” that is, to provide the sacraments, especially the Eucharist. 

This whole parable gives us a picture of the role of the papacy as we await the Second Coming. The pope is the wise steward, the “head butler,” who keeps us rallied together and makes sure we are all fed and carrying out our tasks while we wait for the Master to come back. 

We are called to be alert and vigilant and not be careless and lead a life of sin, because no one knows when the master is coming back. That is, no one knows exactly when he is to account for his life. Those with greater responsibility have greater accountability. As Jesus said, “Much will be required of the person entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more.” 

This Sunday’s Mass is an opportunity for us to make an examination of conscience concerning our fulfillment of our responsibilities. Am I putting my knowledge of the faith to good use by sharing it with others, or am I “keeping it all to myself”? Am I generous in the use of my talents in my parish, diocese, or various apostolates? Will I be able to look Jesus in the face and on the last day with a clear conscience that I did what I could with the formation and talents that were entrusted to me for the building up of the church?

Yours in Christ,

Fr. Vincent Clemente