19th SUNDAY
IN ORDINARY TIME
Luke 12: 32-48 or Luke 12:35-40
August 11, 2013
GOSPEL READING: Do
not be afraid!
Luke 12: 32-48
Jesus
said to his disciples: ‘There is no need to be afraid, little flock, for it has
pleased your Father to give you the kingdom.
‘Sell your possessions and give alms. Get yourselves
purses that do not wear out, treasure that will not fail you, in heaven where
no thief can reach it and no moth destroy it. For where your treasure is, there
will your heart be also.
‘See that you are dressed for action and have your lamps lit. Be
like men waiting for their master to return from the wedding feast, ready to
open the door as soon as he comes and knocks. Happy those servants whom the
master finds awake when he comes. I tell you solemnly, he will put on an apron,
sit them down at table and wait on them. It may be in the second watch he
comes, or in the third, but happy those servants if he finds them ready. You
may be quite sure of this, that if the householder had known at what hour the
burglar would come, he would not have let anyone break through the wall of his
house. You too must stand ready, because the Son of Man is coming at an hour
you do not expect.’
Peter said, ‘Lord, do you mean this parable for us, or
for everyone?’ The Lord replied, ‘What sort of steward, then, is faithful and
wise enough for the master to place him over his household to give them their
allowance of food at the proper time? Happy that servant if his master’s
arrival finds him at this employment. I tell you truly, he will place him over
everything he owns. But as for the servant who says to himself, “My master is
taking his time coming,” and sets about beating the menservants and the maids,
and eating and drinking and getting drunk, his master will come on a day he
does not expect and at an hour he does not know. The master will cut him off
and send him to the same fate as the unfaithful.
The servant who knows what his master wants, but has
not even started to carry out those wishes, will receive very many strokes of
the lash. The one who did not know, but deserves to be beaten for what he has
done, will receive fewer strokes. When a man has had a great deal given him, a
great deal will be demanded of him; when a man has had a great deal given him
on trust, even more will be expected of him.’
OR:
Luke 12:35-40
Jesus
said to his disciples: ‘See that you are dressed for action and have your lamps
lit. Be like men waiting for their master to return from the wedding feast,
ready to open the door as soon as he comes and knocks. Happy those servants
whom the master finds awake when he comes. I tell you solemnly, he will put on
an apron, sit them down at table and wait on them. It may be in the second
watch he comes, or in the third, but happy those servants if he finds them
ready. You may be quite sure of this, that if the householder had known at what
hour the burglar would come, he would not have let anyone break through the
wall of his house. You too must stand ready, because the Son of Man is coming
at an hour you do not expect.’
REFLECTION: Shah el Shah (King of Kings)
“The Kingdom of God is at hand.” The
Good News of the Lord would tell us that we are His children and He will give
us Heaven. His Kingdom is where emptiness isn’t a reality. On Earth, we are but
mortals and as humans, it is in our nature that we constantly desire for more
possessions in life. Indeed, we are insatiable beings wanting to satisfy our
every need. But the Kingdom is no place for more possessions – no one person is
wealthier than the other, no one person has a higher status that the other, and
no one person possesses more that the other. Equality, equity, and abundance
can all be found in Heaven. Equality of all people - no bias and no
discrimination. Equity of all beings, justice and fairness for all the children
of God. Abundance of gifts and blessings that will never make us lack of
anything whether we want it or we need it. While on Earth, there is no place
where we can find all these. A preacher once said, “We are pilgrims. Happiness can never be found here on earth because
true happiness is in Heaven.” He added, “Happiness
is more than emotion. Happiness is more than feeling. Happiness is more than
circumstances. Happiness is first and foremost a decision and we can always choose
to be happy.” Indeed, we are travelers and pilgrims of our own destiny and
we consider happiness in terms of materiality, but happiness is with God in His
Kingdom where we can experience eternal fulfillment and eternal attainment of
goals. Moreover, the Kingdom of God is not a place, but an emotion. It is found
within ourselves. If we want to experience Heaven, we must first experience His
love. Therefore, the Kingdom of God is in our hearts waiting to be found and
hopefully never forgotten.
“Those
who fail to prepare, prepare to fail.” Life is simply defined by
uncertainty. This is further emphasized in the movie “Forest Gump” when the
main character said, “Life is like a box
of chocolates. You’ll never know what you’re gonna get.” In Christian
context, God is telling us that “He will
come again to judge the living and the dead” and when this is about to be
fulfilled, Christ is expecting us to be ready. Like a thief in the night, He
will surprise everyone in this life for He will bring judgment to every single
being. Preparation for His coming should be done through faith. Seek the help
of the Church in able to understand His message for His children. He is our
Master and us His servant. “The Lord is
my Shepherd. There is nothing I shall want. There is nothing I shall fear.”
“TO SERVE – This is the reason
for our positions. This is our mission in life. This is our promise and our
duty.” The Bible speaks of servitude towards our brothers and
sisters. Moreover, the Bible speaks of our servitude for Christ. This is the reason
for our positions here on earth. “We are
created in the image and likeness of God.” In addition, servitude towards
the community and responsibility towards our neighbors is manifested not just
through the mere implementation of laws, but through abiding the laws. The
community should be served first and foremost with pure honesty. It should be
served out of willingness and not out of force. Servitude towards our parents
should be governed by respect, love, and obedience. Servitude towards God
should be manifested through faith, hope, and love. Finally, servitude is our
mission in life for we are taught to give love and deserved to be loved.
“Speak to me Lord, I am
listening.” Shah el Shah
is translated as the King of Kings, which is Jesus Christ. He is the King of
Kings of Heaven and Earth. He is the King of Kings in this life and in the
afterlife. As His children, we are believers of one faith and we believe that
the Kingdom of God is not just in our hands, but also in our hearts from the
very beginning. It is like a treasure box needed to be unlocked for us to
discover what has been given to us by Christ. This is our inheritance and
indeed, it is eternal and everlasting. Prepare for the unknown, expect the
unexpected. We only know one truth – Christ
will come. It is for this reason that we belong in one community and one
hope that we truly are blessed for His coming. Service should be related to
transparency, obedience, respect, faith, and willingness. It is in this service
that we are called to become like Christ and continue His mission of
propagating love for one another. Like Mary our Mother, we are also called to
listen and as a response, this should be our answer,”Shah el Shah, you are my Master and I your servant. May it be done to
me according to your word.”
ABOUT THE SHARER:
MS. MARIA CELINA CASTRO is a member of the
Dominican Network Youth Group. She holds the degree of Bachelor of Secondary Education
Major in Social Science from the Royal and Pontifical University of Santo Tomas.
KEYWORDS:
Ordinary Time, Cycle C, OP Youth, DomNet, Happiness, Fulfillment,
Kingdom of God, Love, Heaven, Mission, Service
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