Luke 12:48
You also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.
Readings for Sunday: Wisdom, Hebrews, Luke
Reflection:
Jesus promised to return. After His resurrection, He ascended into heaven, but not without assuring us that He would come again. The question is: what will He find when He returns? If Christ came today, what would He see in my life, and in yours?In today’s Gospel (Luke 12), Jesus speaks of a steward. This is a servant entrusted with the care of the household in the master’s absence. This word “steward” in Greek is oikonomos. It derives from from oikos (household) and nomos (law, rule). In the ancient world, a steward managed the daily life of a great estate, ensuring the needs of the household were met. He wasn’t the owner, but he bore responsibility for the well-being of all within. So too with us. Our lives are not our own. As today’s second reading from St. Paul reminds us, faith is not mere abstract belief. Faith is trust, as seen in Abraham who obeyed and journeyed with God. We have received new life in Christ, purchased at a price (1 Cor 6:19–20). Everything we have (our time, energy, even our bodies) belongs to Him.
Jesus tells us to be vigilant stewards, living each day as though it were our last. The faithful steward serves even when the master seems delayed. But the unfaithful one forgets and lives for himself. So I ask: if you had one month to live, what would you change? Would you pray more? Reconcile with someone? Go to confession? Give more generously? The people of Israel in Wisdom 18 prepared in faith. Abraham journeyed in faith. You and I must live in faith that is faithful to God. Let us be good stewards, ready for the Master’s return. Not out of fear, but out of love, because we belong to Jesus, and everything we are is His.
Reflection Questions
- If Jesus returned today, what would He find in the way I use my time, relationships, and resources? Would I be a faithful steward of what He has entrusted to me?
- Do I live my faith with the trust and obedience of Abraham, even when the journey is unclear or difficult? How can I grow in that kind of faith?
- What specific changes would I make in my life if I knew I only had one month left—spiritually, relationally, and materially—and what’s stopping me from making those changes now?