Luke 12:39-48 (NRSVCE)
39 “But know this: if the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. 40 You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.”
41 Peter said, “Lord, are you telling this parable for us or for everyone?” 42 And the Lord said, “Who then is the faithful and prudent manager whom his master will put in charge of his slaves, to give them their allowance of food at the proper time? 43 Blessed is that slave whom his master will find at work when he arrives. 44 Truly I tell you, he will put that one in charge of all his possessions. 45 But if that slave says to himself, ‘My master is delayed in coming,’ and if he begins to beat the other slaves, men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk, 46 the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour that he does not know, and will cut him in pieces,and put him with the unfaithful. 47 That slave who knew what his master wanted, but did not prepare himself or do what was wanted, will receive a severe beating. 48 But the one who did not know and did what deserved a beating will receive a light beating. From everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required; and from the one to whom much has been entrusted, even more will be demanded.”
Thanks be to GOD, the Father, the Son Jesus Christ, to the Holy Spirit and also, to the faithful stewards of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, from St. Peter and all the apostles including St. Paul down to those true disciples of Christ Jesus of our present time who were the faithful and sensible stewards of Jesus Christ.
Our Gospel is about the strict instruction of the Master Jesus Christ to give the food allowance allotted to His household. As a result millions of us were fed spiritually and received the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the food that will give us life (John 6:63) through His faithful and prudent manager, the preacher and sharer of the Good News of Salvation.
At first, those stewards now saints received that 'Food', when they do not know either about it (John 4:34). It is also the same case as ours. We received this ‘Food’ that we did not know about. But after Jesus evangelization and feeding His apostles with His words, the very own words that GOD the Father said through Jesus mouth (John 14:24), this blessing of spiritual feeding continued to flow on us. It is because Jesus made a serious instruction to St. Peter to feed and take care of His sheep not once but three times (John 21:15-17), and to St. Paul to suffer as he was commissioned by Jesus to proclaim His Name to the Gentiles (Acts 9:15). To their credit, they had given us this 'Food' through their diligence and tremendous sacrifices in obedience of GOD's Will. Because this food is so needed, - and the only one needed according to Lord Jesus, (Luke 10:42) that will give us life, the life not only in this present time but the life that is eternal.
This ‘Food’ is the ‘every word that comes from the mouth of GOD’ according to Matthew 4:4, and according to GOD's plan must be shared to all nation, at proper time without delay. Jesus command before His death and His resurrection and the last command before His ascension is the same; “Go into all the world and proclaim the good news to the whole creation.” (Mark 16:15) This command is not only for St. Peter and His disciples, but were addressed to all of us who received the Good News. In Mark 13:37, Jesus clearly said, “ What I say to you I say to all, ‘Be on the alert!’”
Furthermore, His instruction in verse 42 of today's Gospel to ‘give them their rations at the proper time’ must be done without wickedness. It is a sad truth that many preachers in the history of Good News proclamation indulge themselves in abusing the converts by many kinds of wickedness. The most practiced is making the believers of Christ their slaves, while the wicked preachers were lavishly enjoying the luxuries in this world. They abuse women and children sexually and the long list of wickedness continues and is so many to mention. Jesus warned them that these wicked servants who know His Will, will surely have a dreadful reckoning when Jesus come again. As for those who still lack of understanding, less but not easy will be their punishment. Everyone who heard the Good News will be accountable to GOD according to what they have done in the distribution or sharing the words of Christ.
Philippians 1:29-30 says, “ For GOD has graciously granted you the privilege not only of believing in Christ, but of suffering for him as well— since you are having the same struggle that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.” This means that we are privileged not only as takers or receivers, but also as sharers or deliverers of the Truth, the Gospel which will lead us and others to salvation. It is also said in John 12:25, “If you love your life, you will lose it. If you give it up in this world, you will be given eternal life.” Therefore, two things are required to be in the Kingdom of GOD; first we should believed and accept the Word (John 1:12), then be the Godly sharer of what we received, the Gospel of Salvation (Mark 16:15). AMEN
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