19th Sunday of the Year (C)

Sunday Reflections (from) Liturgical Years 2008 (A), 2009 (B), and 2010 (C)

19th Sunday of the Year (C), August 8, 2010 (edited for 8/11/25)

Liturgical readings
Wisdom 18:6-9
Psalm 33
Hebrews 11:1-2, 8-19
Luke 12:32-48

Paraphrase of the Sunday gospel

The Lord said, "Who in your opinion is that faithful, farsighted steward..?"

Jesus said to his disciples:

Do not live in fear, little flock.

It has pleased your Father to give you the kingdom.

Sell what you have and give alms.

Get purses for yourself that do not wear out, a never-failing treasure with the Lord which no thief comes near nor any moth destroys.

Wherever your treasure lies, there your heart will be.

Let your belts be fastened around your waists and your lamps be burning ready.

Be like a man awaiting their master's return from a wedding, so that when he arrives and knocks, you will open for him without delay.

It will go well with those servants whom the master finds wide-awake on his return.

I tell you, he will put on an apron, seat them at table, and proceed to wait on them.

Should he happen to come at midnight or before sunrise and find them prepared, it will go well with them.

You know as well as I that if the head of the house knew when the thief was coming he would not let him break into his house.

Be on guard, therefore.

The Son of Man will come when you least expect him."

Peter said,

"Do you intend this parable for us, Lord, or do you mean it for the whole world?"

The Lord said,

"Who in your opinion is that faithful, farsighted steward whom the master will set over his servants to dispense their ration of grain in season?

That servant is fortunate whom his master finds busy when he returns

Assuredly, his master will put him in charge of all his property.

But if the servant says to himself,

'My master is taking his time about coming,'

and begins to abuse the housemen and servant girls, to eat and drink and get drunk,

that servant's master will come back on a day when he does not expect him, at a time he does not know.

The slave who knew his master's wishes but did not prepare to fulfill them will get a severe beating, whereas the one who did not know them and who nonetheless deserved to be flogged will get off with fewer stripes.

When much has been given a man, much will be required of him.

More will be asked of a man to whom more has been entrusted."

Scripture quotes for reflection

• "Your people awaited the salvation of the just and the destruction of their foes." (Wisdom 18)
• "Our soul waits for the Lord, who is our help and our shield." (Psalm 33)
• "Faith is confident assurance concerning what we hope for, and conviction about things we do not see." (Hebrews 11)
• "The eyes of the Lord are upon those who hope for his kindness." (Psalm 33)

Gospel reflection

"That servant is fortunate whom his Master finds busy when He returns."

After the parable of the rich fool last Sunday, we again continue to listen to Luke's gospel. And the theme of pursuing eternal riches developed in last Sunday's Eucharist continues this Sunday in Luke 12:33-34. This theme of "Get purses for yourself that do not wear out, a never-failing treasure with the Lord which no thief comes near nor any moth destroys" is combined with the theme of preparedness for the return of the Son of Man (Luke 12:35-48) in the second part of the gospel. What can be the liturgical reason? It is because we are nearing the end of the year's liturgy with Christ the King on the 34th Sunday of the Year (and the beginning of Advent, Year A). So we have to expect additional themes of preparing for Christ's coming in the coming Sunday gospels. The coming gospels before the end of the year, through the mouth of the Lord, will teach the importance of 'preparedness'. And how to prepare? With vigilance, diligence, faithful service, and responsible stewardship.

Reading this Sunday's gospel passage more closely, we will notice that the term "servant" Luke uses in the parable, is transformed into the phrase "faithful, farsighted steward" towards the middle part of the gospel passage. This "servant" Jesus speaks of is obliged to busy himself, and take good care of his Master's household. So when his Master returns and he has fulfilled all what is required him, he is judged as fortunate. But if he does otherwise, his Master will punish him severely.

All of us baptized Christians have responsibilities, that are based on each one's respective states of life and work. Some are required to do more; others much less. Some are entrusted with more; others with less. What Jesus says as important for all is that to whom much is given, much is required. And more also will be asked of whom more has been entrusted. How fortunate those who have less, because they are not overburdened with the responsibilities of those who have more. But whatever one's political, economic, or social status, in the spiritual and temporal journey of the Christian life, whenever in the course of a lifetime one has less or more, each one still has to follow the counsel of Jesus: be vigilant, diligent, faithful in service (work or apostolate), and continue to be responsible in whatever has been entrusted. No one is exempted from temptation, whether one has less or more. So constant practice of the virtues, as well as a disciplined life of prayer and work will prepare all well with the faith, hope, and love one needs before the "Master's return".

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18th Sunday of the Year (C)

Sunday Reflections (from) Liturgical Years 2011 (A), 2012 (B), and 2013 (C)

18th Sunday of the Year (C), August 5, 2013 (edited)

Liturgical readings
Ecclesiastes 1:2, 2:21-23
Psalm 90
Colossians 3:1-5, 9-11
Luke 12:13-21

Paraphrase of the Sunday gospel


Someone in the crowd
said to Jesus,


"Teacher,
tell my brother to give me
my share of our inheritance."


He replied,


"Friend,
who has set me up
as your judge or arbiter?"


Then he said to the crowd,


"Avoid greed in all its forms.
A man may be wealthy,
but his possessions
do not guarantee him life."


He told them a parable
in these words:


"There was a rich man
who had a good harvest.


'What shall I do?'
he asked himself,



'I have no place
to store my harvest.


I know!'
he said.


'I will pull down my grain bins
and build larger ones.
All my grain and my goods
will go there.



Then I will say to myself:
You have blessings in reserve
for years to come.


Relax!
Eat heartily,
drink well.
Enjoy yourself.'


But God said to him,


'You fool!
This very night
your life shall be required of you.


To whom
will all this piled-up wealth
of yours go?'


That is the way it works
with the man who grows rich for himself
instead of growing rich
in the sight of God."

Scripture quotes:

• "Let us kneel before the Lord who made us." (Psalm 95)
• "Set your heart on what pertains to higher realms." (Colossians 3)
• "Oh, that today you would hear his voice." (Psalm 95)

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17th Sunday of the Year (C)

Sunday Reflections (from) Liturgical Years 2011 (A), 2012 (B), and 2013 (C)

17th Sunday of the Year (C), July 28, 2013 (edited)

Liturgical readings
Genesis 18:20-32
Psalm 138
Colossians 2:12-14
Luke 11:1-13

Paraphrase of the Sunday gospel


One day
Jesus was praying
in a certain place.


When he had finished,
one of his disciples asked him,


"Lord,
teach us to pray
as John taught his disciples."


He said to them,


"When you pray, say:


'Father,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come.
Give us each day
our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
for we too forgive all
who do us wrong;
and subject us not to the trial.'"


Jesus said to them:


"If one of you knows
someone who comes to him
in the middle of the night
and says to him,


'Friend,
lend me three loaves,
for a friend of mine has come in
from a journey
and I have nothing to offer him';


and he from inside
should reply,


'Leave me alone.
The door is shut now
and my children
and I are in bed.


I can't get up
to look after your needs.'"


- I tell you,
even though he does not get up
and take care of the man because of friendship,
he will find himself doing so because of his persistence
and give him as much as he needs.'"


"So I say to you,


'Ask
and you shall receive;


seek
and you shall find;


knock
and it shall be opened to you.'"



"For whoever asks,
receives;


whoever seeks,
finds;


whoever knocks,
is admitted.


What father among you
will give his son a snake if he asks for a fish,
or hand him a scorpion if he asks for an egg?


If you,
with all your sins, know how to give your children good things,


how much more will the heavenly Father
give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him."

Gospel Reflection

"Lord, teach us to pray."

Jesus took the occasion to teach about prayer in this Sunday's gospel passage. In the passage, one of the Lord's disciples asked Jesus how they are to pray. This is how Jesus proceeded. First, He taught the "Our Father" (Lk 11:2-4) - from which the Pater Noster, as formulated today in the form familiar to us in the Mass, comes from. Second, He proceeds to tell a parable (Lk 11:5-8) - emphasizing the importance of persistence in prayer. And Lastly, He teaches the importance of faith in prayer (Lk 11:9-13) - faith in a heavenly Father who knows how to give his children what they need, when they "ask and seek" Him in prayer.


That gospel story of Jesus teaching His disciples, is one source from which the Church continues the mission of Jesus to teach about prayer. As the community of Christians brought this tradition of prayer to mission areas, this tradition of prayer became inculturated in the many cultures that accepted the Christian life. Below are excerpts from Italian and French Saints who extended the teaching of Jesus on praying the "Our Father" to other truths about prayer:


The Holy Spirit is the teacher of prayer. He enables us to
live in perfect peace and constant joy, which is a foretaste
of paradise. (St. Philip Neri)


As often as you become conscious of these promptings to good
in your hearts, give glory to God and reverence the Holy Spirit
whose voice is sounding in your ears. (St. Bernard of Clairvaux)


Ask God to give you the grace of prayer...ask him ceaselessly
It is an alms that you beg of him. It is not possible, if you
persevere, for him to refuse you. (St. Vincent de Paul)


The grace of prayer taught by Jesus in the "Our Father" is a very precious gift. It is the most basic prayer that completes other forms of prayer. Many fail to see its importance in daily life. But it is what gives life to the soul. Prayer feeds every baptized believer with the faith, hope, and love to do God's will. It is a gift that we receive from the Holy Spirit. It brings the peace and joy that often eludes those who are excessively active in the world. It leads anyone to a God who keeps us balanced, to be contemplative and active in a way that makes us productive and life-giving instruments to all we work and live with. Prayer makes us see a Father who is holy, and whose will and dominion spans the earth and the heavens. The grace of prayer reveals a God who provides for all His children, who in humility, understand His will for every step they need to take.

Scripture quotes:

• "I will give thanks to you, O Lord, with all my heart." (Psalm 138)
• "God gave you new life in company with Christ." (Colossians 2)

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