The faithful and prudent servant
REFLECTIONS TODAY
Chapter 24 of Matthew’s Gospel is called the discourse on the “end times” since it deals with the coming of the new age (the eschaton) in its fullness, with events that will precede it, and with how the disciples are to conduct themselves while waiting for this event. Jesus says that while the event is certain, the exact time is unknown. Only the Father knows when it will take place (Mt 24:36).
Today’s parable of both the Faithful and the Wicked Servant encourages a vigilant waiting and faithful accomplishment of duties at hand. The disciples must always be ready as the master may come back anytime. In one homily, Pope Francis defines what vigilance would mean for a follower of Christ. It consists of “a life full of good works” (Angelus, Aug. 7 2016). The Pope compares the wicked servant to a steward who “abuses his authority, and beats the servants, for which, upon the master’s unexpected return, he will be punished” (Ibid). The Pope notes that “this scene describes a situation that is also frequent in our time: so much daily injustice, violence and cruelty are born from the idea of behaving as masters of the lives of others” (Ibid). He reminds each one today that the expectation of the eternal beatitude means being responsible to “render the world more just and more livable... to improve the conditions of earthly life, especially of our weakest brothers and sisters” (Ibid).
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 2023,” St. Paul’s, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 632-895-9701; E-mail: [email protected]; Website: http://www.stpauls.ph.