Expect The Unexpected
Preaching
The Parables Of Jesus
Applications For Contemporary Life
Jesus said, "Do not be afraid little flock, for it is your father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions, and give alms. Make purses for yourselves that do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will also be.
"Be dressed for actions and have your lamps lit; be like those who are waiting for their master to return from the wedding banquet, so that they may open the door for him as soon as he comes and knocks. Blessed are those slaves whom the master finds alert when he comes; truly I tell you, he will fasten his belt and have them sit down to eat, and he will come and serve them. If he comes during the middle of the night, or near dawn, and finds them so, blessed are those slaves.
"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. You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour."
Theme
Life is filled with unexpected events and surprises. Sometimes these happenings are the source of great joy and bring relief to the often routine and boring tasks of everyday life. Sometimes the unexpected event or person is viewed as a disruption, an annoyance, or worse still, a source of pain or anxiety. The unexpected will occur; there is nothing that we can do to avoid it. Often the difference between an event being one of joy or pain is our degree of readiness for what happens. Those who are ill-prepared suffer, whether it is embarrassment, failure, or anxiety. Those who have prepared for the unexpected will use the opportunity afforded them to grow. The parable of the watchful servants exhorts us to be ready.
Spiritual Food For The Journey
"Expect the unexpected." We have all heard this expression, but how often have we heeded its suggestion? The complexities of contemporary life often make our daily existence so busy that we can only concentrate on what is before us and that which we expect. We become flustered when an unexpected event throws our schedule off stride. We say to ourselves, "I am too busy for this interruption; I need to stay on track with the things I must accomplish." We even grow angry at people who disturb our precious agenda with a question, request, or problem. We don't want to take the time. The overall problem is that we are not ready for the unexpected; we only seem able to deal with what we know, like, or can forecast. The unexpected is something we would prefer to avoid at all cost.
Lack of readiness and preparation for that which we do not know can be unnerving, fill us with anxiety, or at times be painful, but these feelings are transitory. Once we get over the initial shock and past the frustration that an unexpected occurrence can bring, we generally calm down and go about our business. We seem settled until the next interruption or unknown happening passes our way. However, there is one important thing that our lack of preparation can never overcome -- the opportunity that we lose through our lack of desire or readiness. If we allow no opening for the possibility we don't expect, then when these events occur we are unable fully to participate in or appreciate what the event brings. We must be responsible people, to ourselves and God, and not allow the many possibilities that events and people present to us to be lost. If we concentrate wholly on today with no thought of tomorrow, or if we allow no possibility for what may happen, we most assuredly will miss opportunities, some of which may be very significant.
We cannot be awake every moment and it is impossible to prepare for every possibility or eventuality, but it is vitally important that we not toss aside what God may be telling us through the events that come our way. Each event has the potential to be a vehicle of learning; each occurrence in life is a teaching moment. But we can learn, gain insight, and grow only to the extent that we are open to what is presented to us. If we are closed off, whether it be because of lack of readiness, a complacent attitude, or refusal to interact with people or deal with problematic situations or events, we will be the losers. Possibilities will pass us by and be lost forever. We can never retrieve such opportunities.
The parable of the watchful servants is an exhortation to readiness, but it teaches us so much more. If we are not ready when our ride comes we may miss a party, movie, or trip to the mall, but if we are not ready when the challenges of God manifest themselves in events and people, then we will lose much more. If we are not ready when Jesus Christ comes to reclaim the world we will lose everything. Let us, therefore, be ready and watching "for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour."
Application Of The Parable To Contemporary Life
Sermon Openings
1. Narcissus and Goldmund, who had met each other in the monastery called Mariabonn, were best friends. Narcissus was a lay brother in the cloister, studying for ordination, and a teacher of Greek; Goldmund was his student. Narcissus was a man of discipline, patience, and erudition; Goldmund was an impatient young man who needed to find himself in this world. The two friends talked about the Church, the subjects of scholarship, and their experiences in life. Goldmund wanted to become a member of the community of Mariabonn, possibly a teacher like his friend, but Narcissus knew that this would be impossible. Goldmund was a young man with neither faith nor direction in his life; he would never be ready for the unexpected.
Goldmund left the monastery after completing his education and began a life of wandering. He traveled the land; he moved from town to town. He found himself moving from one experience of love to another. One day as he wandered he came across a knight to whom he attached himself as his squire. Later he became an apprentice to a great sculptor in the town that adjoined the castle of the knight. The plague came to the town, however, and he was forced to flee. He continued to move from town to town for more than fifteen years. Whatever the situation Goldmund never seemed ready or prepared for what would happen.
Without direction and lacking faith, he often thought about his friend Narcissus and a future time when they would, with God's help, see each other again. One day Goldmund was accused and then convicted of being a thief. He was brought before the royal official of the town who ordered that he be executed for his crime. The official gave Goldmund the opportunity to confess his sins with a priest before the sentence of death would be carried out. Goldmund, however, planned to use the opportunity to kill the priest, switch clothes, and make his escape. Goldmund's plan was ready, but he was not. The next day the priest came but Goldmund could not believe who entered his cell in the castle; the priest who came to hear his confession was Narcissus, his best friend. Goldmund's most trusted friend had returned, as he had many times longed for, but he was not ready.
This story told by the famous Austrian novelist Hermann Hesse well illustrates the central message of today's Gospel -- careful, be ready! As Jesus says, "You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour."
2. Twenty-fours hours a day, 365 days per year men and women of the United States Armed Forces stand ready and watching as this nation's frontline defense. While the world goes about its business, people work their eight-hour shifts, families delight in recreational activity, and day passes into night, a silent but ever vigilant guard is maintained. Few people know of the elaborate nature of the nation's defense system and fewer still have cause to think about the efforts made by many people to maintain peace and keep the United States "out of harm's way."
The silent watchers who guard the freedom we cherish so much are found in many places and environments. The primary ring of silent defense is the submarine force. Patrolling in the world's seas and oceans these mighty vessels act as a front line deterrent to forces who would seek to do harm to the United States. As during the period of the Cold War these boats today silently and secretly patrol. Enemy forces, knowing the existence but not the location of these intercontinental missile platforms, are wary of launching any preemptive strike for fear that retaliation would be swift and severe. In a similar way the United States Air Force maintains land-based missile silos that possess a 100 percent readiness to launch and a fleet of long-range bombers that can muster a strike shortly after an order is received. If any of these deterrent forces is not vigilant, if one or another "lets down its guard" for a period of time, it is possible that an attack on the United States by an enemy force could be fatal. The principle of eternal vigilance and readiness was and continues to be instrumental in the maintenance of international peace.
Nuclear deterrence and the concept of Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD), although distasteful in the minds of many Christians because of cost and reservations against war, nevertheless effectively maintained international peace at the height of the Cold War and an arms race that by all standards was out of control. In a similar way Jesus exhorts us in the Gospel to be vigilant and watching. We are not certain when the guest will arrive or the intruder seek to pummel our house, but if we are ready and watching we will be safe and find our salvation in the Lord.
Points Of Challenge And Questions To Ponder
1. Life presents us with many different avenues and paths, some of which we would rather not travel. When the fork in the road comes, however, have we prepared our minds and hearts for the path we will take? Do we hesitate and in the process miss great opportunities?
2. Do we think about what the future might hold and how we must prepare, or do we live only for the moment and make no provisions for the future? Do we only deal with things when they arrive and not think about them in advance?
3. Do we safeguard the things entrusted to us? Are we good stewards of God's gifts? Are we prepared for the unexpected person, the "thief in the night" who may come to destroy the things God has given us?
4. What responsibility do we have toward others to see that they are prepared for the future? Do we think of ourselves only or can we extend our care to others? Do we keep watch for others as well as ourselves?
5. It is impossible to be awake at all times, but are we ready for the unexpected event when our senses are aroused to its occurrence? Do we wait with a sense of joyful expectation or of fear and dread? What is our attitude toward the unknown?
Exegesis And Explanation Of The Parable
Shifting from concern about possessions, Luke uses the next section of chapter 12, verses 32-40, to discuss the concept of watchfulness and preparation. Jesus implies a relationship between the two topics. Israel's rejection of Jesus prompted him to instruct his disciples for they would be the ones to whom the ministry would be committed after his return to the Father. The Lord wanted his closest followers to know that a faithful disciple will be attentive to the master and ready for his return. A true servant will be unaffected by uncertainty and the delay of the Parousia, but rather will remain on duty expecting the master's return. Jesus' words imply that if one is overly possessive of the things of this world, then the preparation needed and the watchfulness required to encounter the presence of the Lord will be compromised. The true Christian cannot be so divided in loyalty.
As a preface to the parable of the watchful servants, Luke presents a call by Jesus to liberate ourselves from covetousness and anxiety. Anxiety seems to be a by-product of human freedom. Some people are anxious about the necessities of life; others have anxiety about opportunities that come their way. Faith awakens our spiritual sensibility, allowing us to see that often we are concerned about things that mean little and that we have failed to emphasize the importance of family, friends, and especially our relationship with God. Followers of Jesus should be the freest of all people -- free from anxiety, free from materialism, and free to give their generosity to others.
The antidote suggested to anxiety is the work of charity and the virtue of generosity. The alternative to anxiety concerning what we have or the things we do or control is to release our grasp over such things. We can lay up treasure on earth or in heaven, but not in both places. The choice is clear -- we can work for our own advancement or for that of the Kingdom. While the rich fool whom we encountered last week stored up things on earth, Jesus says sell your possessions and give alms. Thieves may steal our goods, rust may eat away metals, and moths may destroy precious cloth, but the person who possesses treasure in heaven will not be anxious about such things.
The concept of charity and almsgiving, along with prayer and fasting, were the foundations of Jewish piety. The Christian community continued this outreach, responsibly reaching out toward the needy in acts of radical unselfishness (Luke 16:9, 18:22, 19:8; Acts 2:44-45, 4:32-37, 11:27-30). In both Jewish and Gentile Christianity concern for the poor was a priority and totally consistent with the value system that the disciples of Jesus practiced. Concerning charity, Jesus in verse 34 makes an interesting connection between one's heart and one's treasure that has been interpreted in several ways: The way we handle material goods (1) reveals where our true commitments lie, (2) determines whether we have earthly or heavenly treasure, and (3) asks where we invest our money. Most scholars believe the challenge of Jesus, as reported by Luke, is to review our need for heavenly goods.
The remainder of this pericope, verses 35-40, presents two parables by Jesus where he challenges his audience to be ready. Both parables, the servants awaiting the master and the householder and thief, ask for our watchful attention, especially for the coming of the Lord. But these passages function less as a single carefully constructed theme on watchfulness than as separate portraits of what it means to be ready. The first assures a blessing on those who are faithful; the second warns of judgment on those who are not prepared. From instructions in earlier passages the reader may assume that readiness means having trust in God as a heavenly Father, putting away all hypocrisy, handling one's possessions faithfully, obeying the precepts of Jesus' message of love, and making life an activity of constant prayer.
Some scholars have suggested that these two parables refer to what happens at the time of one's death. While there is a sense of applicability to death, Luke's main point involves the Parousia. This is clear from the image of the thief coming in the middle of the night, a well-known image of the Second Coming, and the explicit reference to the coming of the Son of Man (12:40).
The parable of the watchful servants (vv. 35-38) is a positive view of life where disciples, engaged in the daily pilgrimage of the Christian life, are asked to be watchful in the absence of their master. Jesus tells the disciples that, freed from worldly cares through trust in the fatherly care of God and hope in the kingdom, they must not allow themselves to be enticed by the temptations of the world to laziness and self-indulgence, but are to spend their time profitably and in readiness to serve the Son of Man when he appears. In the parable the servants are prepared to awake even if the master does not return until the third watch (the Jewish night had three watches). The implication is that the master (Jesus) has not yet returned, but the preparedness and watchfulness necessary have not relaxed; all must remain alert and attentive. Thus, this pericope urges the disciples to eschatological vigilance and readiness, for the present condition of the followers of Jesus, in the wake of the Ascension, is like the servants in the parable who are expected to carry out their duties in the absence of the master, whose return could come at any time. If on his return he finds them alert he will reward them, even to the extent of reversing roles and serving them, giving them a share in his banquet. While the idea of reward is raised, its importance in this teaching is secondary.
The parable of the doorkeeper, verses 39-40, in many ways is connected to the story of the watchful servants. The idea of a thief at night was a common motif for impressing upon listeners the uncertainty of a disruptive event. The householder knows not when the thief will come and it is impossible for one to stay awake at all times. However, one can be prepared, if not always awake. The time of the thief's coming will be a surprise and it will be disruptive -- so too will be the coming of the Son of Man. Readiness is possible and is practiced through continuing faithfulness toward one's duties. When one remains faithful, uncertainties are no cause for alarm or anxiety. The parable also emphasizes the responsibility placed on the householder. This person is to safeguard what has been entrusted to him. Those who fail to protect what is entrusted to them are unfaithful in God's eyes.
The parable of the doorkeeper and burglar, while connected to the story of the watchful servant, also raises an important theological debate on the purpose of these two pericopes. The image of the Day of the Lord coming like a thief in the night caught the imagination of early Christians living in expectation of the Final Judgment and Parousia. Many scholars believe, however, that it is highly unlikely that Jesus intended the parable to be understood as an image of the Parousia. Early Christians understood the Parousia to be a time of great joy, not an event to be feared. Furthermore, these exegetes say it is even more unlikely that a burglar would represent God. Parables were often adapted by members of the early Church to explain their current situation. The delay of the Parousia led to an allegorical interpretation of the story that was consistent with the experience of the early Church.
Scripture commentators suggest that these parables were originally intended as warnings of impending disaster addressed to the crowds and opponents of Jesus, urging them to repent before the eschatological disaster overtook them. The Church applied these parables to the situation of its own members through Christological allegorizing, so that now they explain how disciples must live during the period of the delay before the Parousia. Thus, these scholars conclude that parables originally presented as a tool for evangelization to those who listened to Jesus, have been given a hortatory application to the members of the Church. In a similar vein scholars suggest that many other parables that were originally meant to announce the coming of the final Kingdom of God quite unallegorically, were treated as allegories by the early Church in light of the delay of the Parousia. The one major weakness in this view is that it cannot explain how Jesus came to produce parables that were so ideally suited for later allegorical use.
The sayings and parables of Luke 12:32-40 exhort listeners to watchfulness, which means living in a consistently moral and obedient way, so that we would be ready to give an account of our lives at any time. There is more here, however. Servants need to be devoted to their tasks, refusing to allow distractions, fatigue, or delay to divert them from their duties. They must make the fulfillment of what their master has asked of them their highest priority and greatest concern. For disciples today this lesson speaks of our need for complete devotion to Jesus and the Kingdom tasks he has given us. We are to be as devoted to the Lord as slaves to their masters. We must be as concerned with the work of the Kingdom as a servant left to watch the door of the master's house until he returns.
Context Of The Parable
Context In The Church Year
People generally think little of death, temporality, or endings unless events in life experience force us to consider these ideas. No one likes to concentrate on things that are depressing, what contemporary society calls a "downer." Our feelings are not a lack of concern, nor do they mean we wish to escape from reality, they simply represent a normal human expression for what is happy and wholesome. Death or troublesome times are avoided at all costs.
Today's parable of the watchful servant helps us to gain more perspective in our lives. We need to be reminded that readiness and preparation for all that might happen is necessary. If we let our guard down, if we are not ready or able to meet the challenges that may come our way, the result may be disastrous. We simply cannot run from reality; we must either face it and have some idea how to deal with the hand we are dealt, or we must fold and lose the game altogether. The Church asks that we look within and ask ourselves how watchful we are. Are we ready today for what may come tomorrow? Are we prepared, even for the coming of the Lord?
Context With Other Gospels
The parable of the watchful servants is unique to Luke's Gospel, but its theme of preparedness is found in Matthew's parable of the wise and foolish maidens (25:1-13) and Mark 13:33-37. There is evidence that Luke derived his basic idea for this parable from Mark 13:34-36, which uses the image of a master returning home from a journey at an unknown hour. The slaves are cautioned to be ready.
The two sections which frame the basic parable, namely Luke 12:33-34 and 39-40, are contained in other accounts. Jesus' advice, "Sell your possessions and give alms," belongs to Luke alone, but verses 33b-34 find a parallel in Matthew 6:19-21. Matthew's wording is more rhythmical and possesses a poetic parallelism which is missing in Luke. Scholars differ on their opinions of whether the differences between Luke and Matthew can be traced to edition by authors or redactors or to different traditions. Most exegetes believe that the parallelism between the two versions is so close that both writers used the same source. A third version of this short pericope is found in the Gospel of Thomas, saying 76, "You too must seek for the treasure that does not fail [but] which remains, there where no moth gets near and no worm destroys."
The second short parable in this pericope, the need to be ready for the thief at night, is found in slightly different forms in Mark 3:27 and Gospel of Thomas, saying 21. Like Luke, both versions stress the responsibility incumbent on each person to be ready and prepared.
Context With First And Second Lessons
First Lesson: Genesis 15:1-6. Abram, the first of the great Patriarchs of the Hebrew people, was a faithful man who did as the Lord commanded. We recall in Scripture how he was called by the Lord to go forth from his home country of Ur to a new and strange land. God promised Abram that he would be the father of a great nation and that his name would be a blessing. As God said, "I will bless those who bless you and the one who curses you I will curse; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed" (Genesis 12:3). Yet the promise of God seemed distant to Abram for he had no heir; Sarai his wife was barren. Thus God comes to Abram and asks that his faith endure. As the stars in the sky are too numerous to count, so plentiful will be Abram's descendants.
Abram took his responsibility to be faithful to God and his promise very seriously. He was ready and prepared to carry out God's plan. Like the watchful servant, Abram understood that it was necessary to be ready for the call of the Lord. God's promise of progeny could only be realized if Abram was ready and open for the opportunity God would bring.
The readiness and preparation of Abram and the watchful servants must be the examples that we follow. If we are not ready then many possibilities will be lost; but preparedness will allow us to accomplish many things and most especially will make us ready when the Lord comes to claim his own.
Second Lesson: Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16. The noted theologian, Father Richard McBrien, in his monumental work Catholicism, borrows from Saint Anselm in defining theology as "faith seeking understanding." This good definition requires us to go one step further and ask, "What is faith?" Although every person could provide a definition of faith, the best I have found is in today's second lesson, "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." The author of the Letter to the Hebrews uses Abraham, a man who could not understand many things yet followed nonetheless, as a perfect example of a person of faith. Because of his faith Abraham's descendants are as numerous as the stars.
This passage continues the idea that faith is necessary for salvation; a person of faith is one who is watchful. People of little or no faith have no reason to be hopeful and to watch for the Lord's return. But those who possess faith know the value of being always prepared for the unexpected. If we have faith and can stand vigilant, the opportunities God brings will not be lost, but rather will be discovered and used wisely. The watchful one who is ready will find eternal life.
"Be dressed for actions and have your lamps lit; be like those who are waiting for their master to return from the wedding banquet, so that they may open the door for him as soon as he comes and knocks. Blessed are those slaves whom the master finds alert when he comes; truly I tell you, he will fasten his belt and have them sit down to eat, and he will come and serve them. If he comes during the middle of the night, or near dawn, and finds them so, blessed are those slaves.
"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. You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour."
Theme
Life is filled with unexpected events and surprises. Sometimes these happenings are the source of great joy and bring relief to the often routine and boring tasks of everyday life. Sometimes the unexpected event or person is viewed as a disruption, an annoyance, or worse still, a source of pain or anxiety. The unexpected will occur; there is nothing that we can do to avoid it. Often the difference between an event being one of joy or pain is our degree of readiness for what happens. Those who are ill-prepared suffer, whether it is embarrassment, failure, or anxiety. Those who have prepared for the unexpected will use the opportunity afforded them to grow. The parable of the watchful servants exhorts us to be ready.
Spiritual Food For The Journey
"Expect the unexpected." We have all heard this expression, but how often have we heeded its suggestion? The complexities of contemporary life often make our daily existence so busy that we can only concentrate on what is before us and that which we expect. We become flustered when an unexpected event throws our schedule off stride. We say to ourselves, "I am too busy for this interruption; I need to stay on track with the things I must accomplish." We even grow angry at people who disturb our precious agenda with a question, request, or problem. We don't want to take the time. The overall problem is that we are not ready for the unexpected; we only seem able to deal with what we know, like, or can forecast. The unexpected is something we would prefer to avoid at all cost.
Lack of readiness and preparation for that which we do not know can be unnerving, fill us with anxiety, or at times be painful, but these feelings are transitory. Once we get over the initial shock and past the frustration that an unexpected occurrence can bring, we generally calm down and go about our business. We seem settled until the next interruption or unknown happening passes our way. However, there is one important thing that our lack of preparation can never overcome -- the opportunity that we lose through our lack of desire or readiness. If we allow no opening for the possibility we don't expect, then when these events occur we are unable fully to participate in or appreciate what the event brings. We must be responsible people, to ourselves and God, and not allow the many possibilities that events and people present to us to be lost. If we concentrate wholly on today with no thought of tomorrow, or if we allow no possibility for what may happen, we most assuredly will miss opportunities, some of which may be very significant.
We cannot be awake every moment and it is impossible to prepare for every possibility or eventuality, but it is vitally important that we not toss aside what God may be telling us through the events that come our way. Each event has the potential to be a vehicle of learning; each occurrence in life is a teaching moment. But we can learn, gain insight, and grow only to the extent that we are open to what is presented to us. If we are closed off, whether it be because of lack of readiness, a complacent attitude, or refusal to interact with people or deal with problematic situations or events, we will be the losers. Possibilities will pass us by and be lost forever. We can never retrieve such opportunities.
The parable of the watchful servants is an exhortation to readiness, but it teaches us so much more. If we are not ready when our ride comes we may miss a party, movie, or trip to the mall, but if we are not ready when the challenges of God manifest themselves in events and people, then we will lose much more. If we are not ready when Jesus Christ comes to reclaim the world we will lose everything. Let us, therefore, be ready and watching "for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour."
Application Of The Parable To Contemporary Life
Sermon Openings
1. Narcissus and Goldmund, who had met each other in the monastery called Mariabonn, were best friends. Narcissus was a lay brother in the cloister, studying for ordination, and a teacher of Greek; Goldmund was his student. Narcissus was a man of discipline, patience, and erudition; Goldmund was an impatient young man who needed to find himself in this world. The two friends talked about the Church, the subjects of scholarship, and their experiences in life. Goldmund wanted to become a member of the community of Mariabonn, possibly a teacher like his friend, but Narcissus knew that this would be impossible. Goldmund was a young man with neither faith nor direction in his life; he would never be ready for the unexpected.
Goldmund left the monastery after completing his education and began a life of wandering. He traveled the land; he moved from town to town. He found himself moving from one experience of love to another. One day as he wandered he came across a knight to whom he attached himself as his squire. Later he became an apprentice to a great sculptor in the town that adjoined the castle of the knight. The plague came to the town, however, and he was forced to flee. He continued to move from town to town for more than fifteen years. Whatever the situation Goldmund never seemed ready or prepared for what would happen.
Without direction and lacking faith, he often thought about his friend Narcissus and a future time when they would, with God's help, see each other again. One day Goldmund was accused and then convicted of being a thief. He was brought before the royal official of the town who ordered that he be executed for his crime. The official gave Goldmund the opportunity to confess his sins with a priest before the sentence of death would be carried out. Goldmund, however, planned to use the opportunity to kill the priest, switch clothes, and make his escape. Goldmund's plan was ready, but he was not. The next day the priest came but Goldmund could not believe who entered his cell in the castle; the priest who came to hear his confession was Narcissus, his best friend. Goldmund's most trusted friend had returned, as he had many times longed for, but he was not ready.
This story told by the famous Austrian novelist Hermann Hesse well illustrates the central message of today's Gospel -- careful, be ready! As Jesus says, "You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour."
2. Twenty-fours hours a day, 365 days per year men and women of the United States Armed Forces stand ready and watching as this nation's frontline defense. While the world goes about its business, people work their eight-hour shifts, families delight in recreational activity, and day passes into night, a silent but ever vigilant guard is maintained. Few people know of the elaborate nature of the nation's defense system and fewer still have cause to think about the efforts made by many people to maintain peace and keep the United States "out of harm's way."
The silent watchers who guard the freedom we cherish so much are found in many places and environments. The primary ring of silent defense is the submarine force. Patrolling in the world's seas and oceans these mighty vessels act as a front line deterrent to forces who would seek to do harm to the United States. As during the period of the Cold War these boats today silently and secretly patrol. Enemy forces, knowing the existence but not the location of these intercontinental missile platforms, are wary of launching any preemptive strike for fear that retaliation would be swift and severe. In a similar way the United States Air Force maintains land-based missile silos that possess a 100 percent readiness to launch and a fleet of long-range bombers that can muster a strike shortly after an order is received. If any of these deterrent forces is not vigilant, if one or another "lets down its guard" for a period of time, it is possible that an attack on the United States by an enemy force could be fatal. The principle of eternal vigilance and readiness was and continues to be instrumental in the maintenance of international peace.
Nuclear deterrence and the concept of Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD), although distasteful in the minds of many Christians because of cost and reservations against war, nevertheless effectively maintained international peace at the height of the Cold War and an arms race that by all standards was out of control. In a similar way Jesus exhorts us in the Gospel to be vigilant and watching. We are not certain when the guest will arrive or the intruder seek to pummel our house, but if we are ready and watching we will be safe and find our salvation in the Lord.
Points Of Challenge And Questions To Ponder
1. Life presents us with many different avenues and paths, some of which we would rather not travel. When the fork in the road comes, however, have we prepared our minds and hearts for the path we will take? Do we hesitate and in the process miss great opportunities?
2. Do we think about what the future might hold and how we must prepare, or do we live only for the moment and make no provisions for the future? Do we only deal with things when they arrive and not think about them in advance?
3. Do we safeguard the things entrusted to us? Are we good stewards of God's gifts? Are we prepared for the unexpected person, the "thief in the night" who may come to destroy the things God has given us?
4. What responsibility do we have toward others to see that they are prepared for the future? Do we think of ourselves only or can we extend our care to others? Do we keep watch for others as well as ourselves?
5. It is impossible to be awake at all times, but are we ready for the unexpected event when our senses are aroused to its occurrence? Do we wait with a sense of joyful expectation or of fear and dread? What is our attitude toward the unknown?
Exegesis And Explanation Of The Parable
Shifting from concern about possessions, Luke uses the next section of chapter 12, verses 32-40, to discuss the concept of watchfulness and preparation. Jesus implies a relationship between the two topics. Israel's rejection of Jesus prompted him to instruct his disciples for they would be the ones to whom the ministry would be committed after his return to the Father. The Lord wanted his closest followers to know that a faithful disciple will be attentive to the master and ready for his return. A true servant will be unaffected by uncertainty and the delay of the Parousia, but rather will remain on duty expecting the master's return. Jesus' words imply that if one is overly possessive of the things of this world, then the preparation needed and the watchfulness required to encounter the presence of the Lord will be compromised. The true Christian cannot be so divided in loyalty.
As a preface to the parable of the watchful servants, Luke presents a call by Jesus to liberate ourselves from covetousness and anxiety. Anxiety seems to be a by-product of human freedom. Some people are anxious about the necessities of life; others have anxiety about opportunities that come their way. Faith awakens our spiritual sensibility, allowing us to see that often we are concerned about things that mean little and that we have failed to emphasize the importance of family, friends, and especially our relationship with God. Followers of Jesus should be the freest of all people -- free from anxiety, free from materialism, and free to give their generosity to others.
The antidote suggested to anxiety is the work of charity and the virtue of generosity. The alternative to anxiety concerning what we have or the things we do or control is to release our grasp over such things. We can lay up treasure on earth or in heaven, but not in both places. The choice is clear -- we can work for our own advancement or for that of the Kingdom. While the rich fool whom we encountered last week stored up things on earth, Jesus says sell your possessions and give alms. Thieves may steal our goods, rust may eat away metals, and moths may destroy precious cloth, but the person who possesses treasure in heaven will not be anxious about such things.
The concept of charity and almsgiving, along with prayer and fasting, were the foundations of Jewish piety. The Christian community continued this outreach, responsibly reaching out toward the needy in acts of radical unselfishness (Luke 16:9, 18:22, 19:8; Acts 2:44-45, 4:32-37, 11:27-30). In both Jewish and Gentile Christianity concern for the poor was a priority and totally consistent with the value system that the disciples of Jesus practiced. Concerning charity, Jesus in verse 34 makes an interesting connection between one's heart and one's treasure that has been interpreted in several ways: The way we handle material goods (1) reveals where our true commitments lie, (2) determines whether we have earthly or heavenly treasure, and (3) asks where we invest our money. Most scholars believe the challenge of Jesus, as reported by Luke, is to review our need for heavenly goods.
The remainder of this pericope, verses 35-40, presents two parables by Jesus where he challenges his audience to be ready. Both parables, the servants awaiting the master and the householder and thief, ask for our watchful attention, especially for the coming of the Lord. But these passages function less as a single carefully constructed theme on watchfulness than as separate portraits of what it means to be ready. The first assures a blessing on those who are faithful; the second warns of judgment on those who are not prepared. From instructions in earlier passages the reader may assume that readiness means having trust in God as a heavenly Father, putting away all hypocrisy, handling one's possessions faithfully, obeying the precepts of Jesus' message of love, and making life an activity of constant prayer.
Some scholars have suggested that these two parables refer to what happens at the time of one's death. While there is a sense of applicability to death, Luke's main point involves the Parousia. This is clear from the image of the thief coming in the middle of the night, a well-known image of the Second Coming, and the explicit reference to the coming of the Son of Man (12:40).
The parable of the watchful servants (vv. 35-38) is a positive view of life where disciples, engaged in the daily pilgrimage of the Christian life, are asked to be watchful in the absence of their master. Jesus tells the disciples that, freed from worldly cares through trust in the fatherly care of God and hope in the kingdom, they must not allow themselves to be enticed by the temptations of the world to laziness and self-indulgence, but are to spend their time profitably and in readiness to serve the Son of Man when he appears. In the parable the servants are prepared to awake even if the master does not return until the third watch (the Jewish night had three watches). The implication is that the master (Jesus) has not yet returned, but the preparedness and watchfulness necessary have not relaxed; all must remain alert and attentive. Thus, this pericope urges the disciples to eschatological vigilance and readiness, for the present condition of the followers of Jesus, in the wake of the Ascension, is like the servants in the parable who are expected to carry out their duties in the absence of the master, whose return could come at any time. If on his return he finds them alert he will reward them, even to the extent of reversing roles and serving them, giving them a share in his banquet. While the idea of reward is raised, its importance in this teaching is secondary.
The parable of the doorkeeper, verses 39-40, in many ways is connected to the story of the watchful servants. The idea of a thief at night was a common motif for impressing upon listeners the uncertainty of a disruptive event. The householder knows not when the thief will come and it is impossible for one to stay awake at all times. However, one can be prepared, if not always awake. The time of the thief's coming will be a surprise and it will be disruptive -- so too will be the coming of the Son of Man. Readiness is possible and is practiced through continuing faithfulness toward one's duties. When one remains faithful, uncertainties are no cause for alarm or anxiety. The parable also emphasizes the responsibility placed on the householder. This person is to safeguard what has been entrusted to him. Those who fail to protect what is entrusted to them are unfaithful in God's eyes.
The parable of the doorkeeper and burglar, while connected to the story of the watchful servant, also raises an important theological debate on the purpose of these two pericopes. The image of the Day of the Lord coming like a thief in the night caught the imagination of early Christians living in expectation of the Final Judgment and Parousia. Many scholars believe, however, that it is highly unlikely that Jesus intended the parable to be understood as an image of the Parousia. Early Christians understood the Parousia to be a time of great joy, not an event to be feared. Furthermore, these exegetes say it is even more unlikely that a burglar would represent God. Parables were often adapted by members of the early Church to explain their current situation. The delay of the Parousia led to an allegorical interpretation of the story that was consistent with the experience of the early Church.
Scripture commentators suggest that these parables were originally intended as warnings of impending disaster addressed to the crowds and opponents of Jesus, urging them to repent before the eschatological disaster overtook them. The Church applied these parables to the situation of its own members through Christological allegorizing, so that now they explain how disciples must live during the period of the delay before the Parousia. Thus, these scholars conclude that parables originally presented as a tool for evangelization to those who listened to Jesus, have been given a hortatory application to the members of the Church. In a similar vein scholars suggest that many other parables that were originally meant to announce the coming of the final Kingdom of God quite unallegorically, were treated as allegories by the early Church in light of the delay of the Parousia. The one major weakness in this view is that it cannot explain how Jesus came to produce parables that were so ideally suited for later allegorical use.
The sayings and parables of Luke 12:32-40 exhort listeners to watchfulness, which means living in a consistently moral and obedient way, so that we would be ready to give an account of our lives at any time. There is more here, however. Servants need to be devoted to their tasks, refusing to allow distractions, fatigue, or delay to divert them from their duties. They must make the fulfillment of what their master has asked of them their highest priority and greatest concern. For disciples today this lesson speaks of our need for complete devotion to Jesus and the Kingdom tasks he has given us. We are to be as devoted to the Lord as slaves to their masters. We must be as concerned with the work of the Kingdom as a servant left to watch the door of the master's house until he returns.
Context Of The Parable
Context In The Church Year
People generally think little of death, temporality, or endings unless events in life experience force us to consider these ideas. No one likes to concentrate on things that are depressing, what contemporary society calls a "downer." Our feelings are not a lack of concern, nor do they mean we wish to escape from reality, they simply represent a normal human expression for what is happy and wholesome. Death or troublesome times are avoided at all costs.
Today's parable of the watchful servant helps us to gain more perspective in our lives. We need to be reminded that readiness and preparation for all that might happen is necessary. If we let our guard down, if we are not ready or able to meet the challenges that may come our way, the result may be disastrous. We simply cannot run from reality; we must either face it and have some idea how to deal with the hand we are dealt, or we must fold and lose the game altogether. The Church asks that we look within and ask ourselves how watchful we are. Are we ready today for what may come tomorrow? Are we prepared, even for the coming of the Lord?
Context With Other Gospels
The parable of the watchful servants is unique to Luke's Gospel, but its theme of preparedness is found in Matthew's parable of the wise and foolish maidens (25:1-13) and Mark 13:33-37. There is evidence that Luke derived his basic idea for this parable from Mark 13:34-36, which uses the image of a master returning home from a journey at an unknown hour. The slaves are cautioned to be ready.
The two sections which frame the basic parable, namely Luke 12:33-34 and 39-40, are contained in other accounts. Jesus' advice, "Sell your possessions and give alms," belongs to Luke alone, but verses 33b-34 find a parallel in Matthew 6:19-21. Matthew's wording is more rhythmical and possesses a poetic parallelism which is missing in Luke. Scholars differ on their opinions of whether the differences between Luke and Matthew can be traced to edition by authors or redactors or to different traditions. Most exegetes believe that the parallelism between the two versions is so close that both writers used the same source. A third version of this short pericope is found in the Gospel of Thomas, saying 76, "You too must seek for the treasure that does not fail [but] which remains, there where no moth gets near and no worm destroys."
The second short parable in this pericope, the need to be ready for the thief at night, is found in slightly different forms in Mark 3:27 and Gospel of Thomas, saying 21. Like Luke, both versions stress the responsibility incumbent on each person to be ready and prepared.
Context With First And Second Lessons
First Lesson: Genesis 15:1-6. Abram, the first of the great Patriarchs of the Hebrew people, was a faithful man who did as the Lord commanded. We recall in Scripture how he was called by the Lord to go forth from his home country of Ur to a new and strange land. God promised Abram that he would be the father of a great nation and that his name would be a blessing. As God said, "I will bless those who bless you and the one who curses you I will curse; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed" (Genesis 12:3). Yet the promise of God seemed distant to Abram for he had no heir; Sarai his wife was barren. Thus God comes to Abram and asks that his faith endure. As the stars in the sky are too numerous to count, so plentiful will be Abram's descendants.
Abram took his responsibility to be faithful to God and his promise very seriously. He was ready and prepared to carry out God's plan. Like the watchful servant, Abram understood that it was necessary to be ready for the call of the Lord. God's promise of progeny could only be realized if Abram was ready and open for the opportunity God would bring.
The readiness and preparation of Abram and the watchful servants must be the examples that we follow. If we are not ready then many possibilities will be lost; but preparedness will allow us to accomplish many things and most especially will make us ready when the Lord comes to claim his own.
Second Lesson: Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16. The noted theologian, Father Richard McBrien, in his monumental work Catholicism, borrows from Saint Anselm in defining theology as "faith seeking understanding." This good definition requires us to go one step further and ask, "What is faith?" Although every person could provide a definition of faith, the best I have found is in today's second lesson, "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." The author of the Letter to the Hebrews uses Abraham, a man who could not understand many things yet followed nonetheless, as a perfect example of a person of faith. Because of his faith Abraham's descendants are as numerous as the stars.
This passage continues the idea that faith is necessary for salvation; a person of faith is one who is watchful. People of little or no faith have no reason to be hopeful and to watch for the Lord's return. But those who possess faith know the value of being always prepared for the unexpected. If we have faith and can stand vigilant, the opportunities God brings will not be lost, but rather will be discovered and used wisely. The watchful one who is ready will find eternal life.
