Thursday, 08-31-23
PRI Reflections on Scripture | Thursday of the 21st Week in Ordinary Time
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Gospel
Matthew 24:42-51

Jesus said to his disciples:
"Stay awake!
For you do not know on which day your Lord will come.
Be sure of this: if the master of the house
had known the hour of night when the thief was coming,
he would have stayed awake
and not let his house be broken into.
So too, you also must be prepared,
for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.

"Who, then, is the faithful and prudent servant,
whom the master has put in charge of his household
to distribute to them their food at the proper time?
Blessed is that servant whom his master on his arrival finds doing so.
Amen, I say to you, he will put him in charge of all his property.
But if that wicked servant says to himself, 'My master is long delayed,'
and begins to beat his fellow servants,
and eat and drink with drunkards,
the servant's master will come on an unexpected day
and at an unknown hour and will punish him severely
and assign him a place with the hypocrites,
where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.”"

Reflection
Jesus has spent a great deal of time talking to the disciples about the corruption and the evil of those who ran the temple. But He’s also concerned deeply about the corruption that can come into any role of authority. And certainly the disciples, when they became apostles, had great authority, great power. So He’s reminding them that the key to living, as God calls us to live is to be servants to one another, to feed one another, to care for one another.

And if we don't do that, if we instead decide that it's not that important, or I can get away without doing it, we have to remember, He says, that this is not an option. It is essential. Feed and care for one another.

Closing Prayer
Father, we often seek to do something wonderful for you or something that's a major sacrifice and feel we've won your approval. But nothing is more approved by God than our simple, loving, forgiving, compassionate care for one another. Bless us with this great grace, and this great gift. And we ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen.