Slavery was common in the ancient world. In worst cases, the slaves were treated as chattels, to be sold or abused at their master’s whims. In Israel, the elites had servants/ slaves (Greek douloi) who were employed in agriculture, but most often in domestic service.

A slave who shows competence and faithfulness may be assigned as the head servant or slave overseer (Greek oikonomos). Usually, he is a man hardened by farm work and is tested by experience. In the Gospel parable, the faithful and wise oikonomos has been put in charge of his master’s household. This is an image of true discipleship.

A disciple, most especially if he is a leader of a community of believers, must be prudent and dependable in fulfilling his obligation towards believers. He must exercise his duties “at the proper time” (v 45) and not at his own convenience.

At the anniversary of his ordination as bishop, St. Augustine provides a beautiful portrait of pastoral ministry: “Where I’m terrified by what I am for you, I am given comfort by what I am with you. For you I am a bishop, with you, after all, I am a Christian. The first is the name of an office undertaken, the second a name of grace; that one means danger, this one salvation.”

First Reading • 1 Thes 3:7-13

We have been reassured about you, brothers and sisters, in our every distress and affliction, through your faith. For we now live, if you stand firm in the Lord.

What thanksgiving, then, can we render to God for you, for all the joy we feel on your account before our God? Night and day we pray beyond measure to see you in person and to remedy the deficiencies of your faith.

Now may God himself, our Father, and our Lord Jesus direct our way to you, and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, just as we have for you, so as to strengthen your hearts, to be blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his holy ones. Amen.

Responsorial Psalm • Ps 90

“Fill us with your love, O Lord, and we will sing for joy!”

Gospel • Matthew 24:42-51

Jesus said to his disciples: “Stay awake! For you do not know on which day your Lord will come. Be sure of this: if the master of the house had known the hour of night when the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and not let his house be broken into.

So too, you also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.

“Who, then, is the faithful and prudent servant, whom the master has put in charge of his household to distribute to them their food at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master on his arrival finds doing so. Amen, I say to you, he will put him in charge of all his property.

But if that wicked servant says to himself, ‘My master is long delayed,’ and begins to beat his fellow servants, and eat and drink with drunkards, the servant’s master will come on an unexpected day and at an unknown hour and will punish him severely and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.”

Source: “365 Days with the Lord 2025,” St. Paul’s, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 632-895-9701; E-mail: [email protected]; Website: http://www.stpauls.ph.