BIBLE STUDY # 145

NINETEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

August 11, 2013



Reading 1

Wisdom 18:6-9



The night of the passover was known beforehand to our fathers,

that, with sure knowledge of the oaths in which they put their faith,

they might have courage.

Your people awaited the salvation of the just

and the destruction of their foes.

For when you punished our adversaries,

in this you glorified us whom you had summoned.

For in secret the holy children of the good were offering sacrifice

and putting into effect with one accord the divine institution.



The Word of the Lord



Reading 2

Hebrews 11:1-2, 8-19



Brothers and sisters:

Faith is the realization of what is hoped for

and evidence of things not seen.

Because of it the ancients were well attested.



By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place

that he was to receive as an inheritance;

he went out, not knowing where he was to go.

By faith he sojourned in the promised land as in a foreign country,

dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs of the same promise;

for he was looking forward to the city with foundations,

whose architect and maker is God.

By faith he received power to generate,

even though he was past the normal age

—and Sarah herself was sterile—

for he thought that the one who had made the promise was

trustworthy.

So it was that there came forth from one man,

himself as good as dead,

descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky

and as countless as the sands on the seashore.



All these died in faith.

They did not receive what had been promised

but saw it and greeted it from afar

and acknowledged themselves to be strangers and aliens on earth,

for those who speak thus show that they are seeking a homeland.

If they had been thinking of the land from which they had come,

they would have had opportunity to return.

But now they desire a better homeland, a heavenly one.

Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God,

for he has prepared a city for them.



By faith Abraham, when put to the test, offered up Isaac,

and he who had received the promises was ready to offer his only son,

of whom it was said,

“Through Isaac descendants shall bear your name.”

He reasoned that God was able to raise even from the dead,

and he received Isaac back as a symbol.



The Word of the Lord



Gospel

Luke 12:32-48



Jesus said to his disciples:

“Do not be afraid any longer, little flock,

for your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom.

Sell your belongings and give alms.

Provide money bags for yourselves that do not wear out,

an inexhaustible treasure in heaven

that no thief can reach nor moth destroy.

For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.



“Gird your loins and light your lamps

and be like servants who await their master’s return from a wedding,

ready to open immediately when he comes and knocks.

Blessed are those servants

whom the master finds vigilant on his arrival.

Amen, I say to you, he will gird himself,

have them recline at table, and proceed to wait on them.

And should he come in the second or third watch

and find them prepared in this way,

blessed are those servants.

Be sure of this:

if the master of the house had known the hour

when the thief was coming,

he would not have let his house be broken into.

You also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect,

the Son of Man will come.”



Then Peter said,

“Lord, is this parable meant for us or for everyone?”

And the Lord replied,

“Who, then, is the faithful and prudent steward

whom the master will put in charge of his servants

to distribute the food allowance at the proper time?

Blessed is that servant whom his master on arrival finds doing so.

Truly, I say to you, the master will put the servant

in charge of all his property.

But if that servant says to himself,

‘My master is delayed in coming,’

and begins to beat the menservants and the maidservants,

to eat and drink and get drunk,

then that servant’s master will come

on an unexpected day and at an unknown hour

and will punish the servant severely

and assign him a place with the unfaithful.

That servant who knew his master’s will

but did not make preparations nor act in accord with his will

shall be beaten severely;

and the servant who was ignorant of his master’s will

but acted in a way deserving of a severe beating

shall be beaten only lightly.

Much will be required of the person entrusted with much,

and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more.”



The Gospel of the Lord



Reflection



Today’s Gospel begins by telling us “not to be afraid.” This same theme was echoed centuries later in our own era by Blessed John Paul II when he told us to not be afraid to live out our faith every day and share it with others. Pope Francis echoed this theme in the recently concluded World Youth Day by telling over 3 million young people to not be afraid to stir up society with the Good News of Jesus Christ. If you want to follow Pope Francis, a good website is www.news.va, which is news from the Vatican. Jesus uses the term “little flock.” The disciples form the little flock which is the nucleus of the people forming around Him.



The Father gives us the kingdom: eternal life is a free gift of the Father. We can’t earn it, merit it, or deserve it. How do we respond to that gift? There are many ways, and we see one way here: “Sell your belongings and give alms.” We are encouraged not to be so attached to the things of this world that we become greedy (see last week’s gospel), but are willing to share our blessings with others.



Another response: “Provide money bags for yourselves that do not wear out.” Be a ‘Kingdom’ person: be a person of prayer, sacraments, good works, and minister to those we meet everyday. Then we will have “an inexhaustible treasure in heaven, that no thief can reach nor moth destroy.” We will show our readiness for the kingdom by being a ‘Kingdom’ person.



“For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.” How true is that! Whatever comes first in our lives, that’s our God. Have you ever noticed that when something or someone is important, no matter how busy we are, we can find the time? Where is God on the list of importance?



We now see a very advent type of theme, concerning judgment at the end of days. “Gird your loins and light your lamps” derives from Exodus 12:11, describing the readiness required in the Passover. As a servant awaiting his master’s return, we must be ready for the coming of the Lord. He will come at an unexpected hour, and hopefully we will be awaiting his return. If we are like the servant who recognizes that the master is delayed, and beat the maidservants and manservants, and eats and gets drunk, then we will be severely punished. In other words, if we are not living in the kingdom and sinning when the Lord returns, we will forfeit eternal life.



The last sentence should make us stop and think: “Much will be required of the person entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more.” As members of the church, we are entrusted with not only keeping the faith, but spreading it around. Are we taking this responsibility seriously?

The earliest followers of Jesus thought that he would return in their lifetimes. The Gospel today seems to indicate a delay in Jesus return. Why did it take decades for the Gospels to appear in written form? Three reasons: 1) not many people could read, so why put it in writing?; 2) the people also felt that Jesus would be coming back in their lifetime. Therefore, those on fire with the Word needed to go out and spread the Good News prior to Jesus return; and 3) If there were any questions about Jesus message, the eyewitnesses to Jesus ministry were alive and could settle any questions that arise concerning Jesus message. After awhile, it seemed evident that Jesus return was being delayed. The eyewitnesses to Jesus mission and ministry were dying off, and the Gospels were written to preserve Jesus message. Today’s Gospel from Luke tells us to wait in anticipation of Jesus arrival. No one knows when that will be, so we need to be vigilant, because “at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.” We also need to be vigilant and prepared, because we don’t know the hour that Jesus will come to lead us over the waters of death and bring us home to our heavenly Father. We also need to be open to Jesus coming to us every day through sacraments, prayer, scripture, other people, and in any way that He chooses to come to us. Are we ready? Are we looking?

Fr. Phil