Be Faithful, Be Ready

 Luke 12: 39-48

^{Much Will Be Asked} 

³⁹ But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. ⁴⁰ You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.”

⁴¹ Peter asked, “Lord, are you telling this parable to us, or to everyone?”

⁴² The Lord answered, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom the master puts in charge of his servants to give them their food allowance at the proper time? ⁴³ It will be good for that servant whom the master finds doing so when he returns. ⁴⁴ Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. ⁴⁵ But suppose the servant says to himself, ‘My master is taking a long time in coming,’ and he then begins to beat the other servants, both men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk. ⁴⁶ The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers.

⁴⁷ “The servant who knows the master’s will and does not get ready or does not do what the master wants will be beaten with many blows. ⁴⁸ But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.

We celebrate the North American Martyrs today, St. Isaac Jogues and his companions among whom  was St. Rene Goupil, the first to be martyred.  He incurred the wrath of some of the Mohawks for teaching the children how to make the sign of the cross and for making it over them as a blessing. Seven more Jesuits  were killed between 1642 and 1649. Our Gospel passage reminds us that much will be asked of us as we try our best to remain faithful to to our everyday duties, and especially to the teachings of Jesus.  We might think that this is too bland and humdrum, "we are only doing our duty"...but it is our fidelity that pleases God more than what we accomplish. We know what we have to do, but we do not know when God will come for us. Let us pray for the grace to be ready.

Bro. Rene

Let us pray:

Protect our land, O heavenly patrons, which you have bedewed with the rich treasure of your blood. Watch over our Catholic Faith which you helped to establish in this new land. Bring all our fellow citizens to a knowledge and love of the truth. Make us zealous in spreading abroad a knowledge of Catholic teachings, so that we may continue and perfect the work which you have begun with so much labor and suffering. Pray for our homes, our schools, our missions; for vocations, for the conversion of sinners, the return of those who have wandered from the fold, and the perseverance of all the faithful. Amen.