The Wise and Faithful Servant

The Wise and Faithful Servant

Lk 12: 32-48

19^th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Introduction

In today’s Gospel, we hear Jesus comparing his disciples as servants who must remain faithful and watchful and who eagerly await their Master’s arrival.

The Gospel

In the first part of the Gospel, Jesus exhorts his disciples, whom he also calls, little flock, not to be afraid because it has pleased the Father to give them the kingdom.

Jesus then tells them to sell what they have and give alms; to get themselves purses that do not wear out for an inexhaustible treasure in heaven, where no thief comes and no moth destroys, awaits them. Then Jesus tells them: “ Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. “

Then Jesus addresses his disciples and compares them to good and faithful servants, saying: “ Be ready, dressed for service, and keep your lamps lit, like people waiting for their master to return from the wedding. As soon as he comes and knocks, they will open the door to him. Happy are those servants whom the master finds wide-awake when he comes. Truly, I tell you, he will put on an apron and have them sit at table, and he will wait on them. Happy are those servants, if he finds them awake when he comes at midnight or daybreak! “

Then Jesus continues: “ Pay attention to this: If the master of the house had known at what time the thief would come, he would not have let his house be broken into. You also must be ready, for the Son of Man will come at an hour you do not expect. “

Then Peter said: “ Lord, did you tell this parable only for us, or for everyone?” And the Lord replied, “ Imagine then, the wise and faithful steward, whom the master sets over his other servants, to give them wheat at the proper time. Fortunate is this servant if his master, on coming home, finds him doing his work. Truly, I say to you, the master will put him in charge of all his property.

But it may be that the steward thinks, ‘ My Lord delays in coming,’ and he begins to abuse the male servants and the servant girl, eating and drinking and getting drunk. Then the master will come on a day he does not expect, and at an hour he doesn’t know. He will cut him off, and sent him to the same fate as the unfaithful.

The servant who knew his master’s will but did not prepare and do what his master wanted, will be soundly beaten; but the one who does unconsciously what deserves punishment, shall receive fewer blows. Much will be required of the one who has been given much, and more will be asked of the one who has been entrusted with more. “

Reflection

Today’s reading is about servants. At the time of Jesus, servants were common in the households of the rich. It was usual in those days for rich people to buy and own slaves who eventually became household servants assigned to  various tasks and functions in the home.

In time, these household servants became familiar with the families they lived with and became loyal and faithful to their masters. This is why it was not surprising to see why some masters trusted them much and gave them very important tasks like taking care of their entire household or entrusting their entire properties to these servants. Such was the social context and background of Jesus’ parable.

In this parable, Jesus exhorts his disciples to be wise and faithful servants. In saying so, he too addresses us and exhorts us to be the same. As stewards, the Lord has entrusted to us many things; among them are our own families, our loved ones, our friends, our work, our wealth, our talents, our communities, our fellowmen, our society and everything else that we are responsible for.

In the parable that Jesus gave us, we can glean three lessons about servanthood and  stewardship.

First, as servants or stewards, the Lord expects us to take good care of what he has entrusted to us. More importantly, he expects us to do so until the end of our days, when he comes back. This is the Lord’s understanding of “faithfulness” – that we do good until the end of our life.

When the Lord finds us faithfully fulfilling our work when he comes, he does something quite unexpected. Instead of being served at table, he surprisingly would make us sit at the table to eat and serve us, just like what a servant does to his master. How humbling this would be to see the Lord serving us! This is how the Lord rewards those who remain faithful to him; the one who remains faithful is served by him who is Lord and Master.

Second, the Lord exhorts us to be watchful because we do not know when he is coming back. Our faith has always been a faith that unceasingly waits for him who will come back at the end of time. This waiting is not one of fear, but one of eager longing to see him whom we love and desire. Like a thief in the night, Jesus would come unannounced. We do not know the day or the hour, but one who is watchful and vigilant will always be found ready for him whom the heart seeks.

Third, a good and faithful servant must not be remiss in his duties and responsibilities. He must not be abusive nor should he squander uselessly the resources entrusted to him. Just as a reward awaits the faithful servant, sure punishment awaits him who fails in his role as a steward in the Lord’s household.

So what does this reading teach us?

It teaches us to have a change in our perspective at how we look at our life. We are mere servants; mere stewards who are entrusted by the good Lord to do what is good and right. We are mere servants who are expected to faithfully fulfill our task until the Lord comes again; never tiring, never giving up the good we are supposed to do.

We see this kind of perspective in people who simply want to serve, in people who continue to be honest, in people who continue to fight for what is just and right despite the odds and challenges that are before them.

These are the people who will not exchange a life of service to a life of ease and comfort. These are the people who will remain honest even if others are not; these are the people who will seek justice and truth even if they are surrounded by unjust realities and structures.

To live a good and honest life because we want to remain faithful to the Lord is a sign of great faith. Blessed are we when we live our lives faithfully, believing that the Lord whom we serve will one day come to us, asking us if we have done our best to take care of the things and the people he has entrusted to our care.  

Prayer

Lord, give me faith that I may be your faithful servant, ever waiting for your coming, untiringly serving those that you have entrusted to me. Let me not tire of waiting for you. Let me not grow weary in doing what is right for those you have given to my care. Amen.

“ my soul waits for the Lord
    more than those who watch for the morning,
    more than those who watch for the morning. “ – Psalm 130:6