Do you give food at the proper time?

 

Welcome to my blog. Peace be with you.

Every baptised person is a steward and servant of God. We are to give food to all the members of God’s household at the proper time. Blessed are those doing this when the Lord comes.

Wednesday 21 October 2020

Do you give food to God’s household at the proper time?

 

Gospel

Luke 12:39-48

The Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect

Jesus said to his disciples:

1.      ‘You may be quite sure of this, that if the householder had known at what hour the burglar would come,

2.      he would not have let anyone break through the wall of his house.

3.      You too must stand ready, because the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.’

4.      Peter said, ‘Lord, do you mean this parable for us, or for everyone?’

5.      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?

6.      Happy that servant if his master’s arrival finds him at this employment.

7.      I tell you truly, he will place him over everything he owns.

8.      But as for the servant who says to himself, “My master is taking his time coming,”

9.      and sets about beating the menservants and the maids, and eating and drinking and getting drunk,

10.  his master will come on a day he does not expect and at an hour he does not know.

11.  The master will cut him off and send him to the same fate as the unfaithful.

12.  The servant who knows what his master wants,

13.  but has not even started to carry out those wishes,

14.  will receive very many strokes of the lash.

15.  The one who did not know,

16.  but deserves to be beaten for what he has done,

17.  will receive fewer strokes.

18.  When a man has had a great deal given him, a great deal will be demanded of him;

19.  when a man has had a great deal given him on trust, even more will be expected of him.’

 

Prayerful reflection

All the baptised are stewards and servants of the Lord. They are to give food to the household of God. The whole world belongs to God and all people are his people. What food are the baptised to give? They are to bring people to the knowledge and love of God in Christ Jesus. In other words, they are to proclaim Jesus to the world. This is the food the world needs to give peace in this world and joy in the next.

We are to be about this work 24x7 until the Master comes. He comes to each of us when we die.

How can I preach Jesus to everyone? Many are not interested and others are hostile.

In a household, about which is the parable told by Jesus, everyone gets food, ut not all the same kind of food. A newly born will only receive his/her mother’s milk. Other food would even kill it. A sick person will receive food suitable to his/her sickness. Likewise, each will eat food according to their own physical situation. Likewise, in the spiritual realm.

All must be given the food they can digest spiritually, but all must not be given the same food – we do not proclaim Jesus to all people in the same way.

For some, we cannot even mention the name of Jesus. It would be like giving solid food to a new born. They would reject it outright because of their spiritual situation. They can ‘only be given milk’.

We must bring them to know and experience Jesus by being Jesus for them. In the Holy Eucharist we become one with him – it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. Through their interaction with us, they must be impelled to say, ‘this person is like God.’ Through our relationship of love, kindness, generosity, and helpfulness we must create a new atmosphere. By our prayer for them, they will grow until they will be more open to listening to us speak of Jesus.  

Wherever we are and whatever we do, the baptised person should always be conscious that they are ‘giving the food at the due time’ – that they are always living so as to bring others to know, love and experience Jesus.