The Gospel for Wednesday of the 29th week in Ordinary Time is taken from Luke 12:39, 48 verse Jesus said to his disciples, be sure of this. If the master of the house had known the hour when the thief was coming, he would not have let the house be broken into. You also must be prepared for 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 the servant whom his master on arrival finds doing so. Truly, I say to you, you will put him in charge of all his property. But if that servant says to himself, my master is delaying in coming and begins to beat the men, servants and the maidservants to eat and drink and get drunk, then that servant’s master will come on an unexpected day 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 is 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.

Still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more. Jesus is speaking about responsibility, particularly responsibility to care for those around us. When Peter hears it, he wonders, is this about us, the disciples, or about everyone? And I think Jesus makes it clear. It’s about the disciples. They have a great responsibility to be held to a very high standard.

What perhaps is not yet clear to Peter is that responsibility that he carries will be able to be fulfilled not through his effort, but through, but through the gift of God dwelling within him. Take a moment to reflect upon these images and I will end with a closing prayer. Satan. Satan. Sam. Satan.

Sam. Closing prayer Father, fill us with an awareness of confidence in whatever responsibilities you’ve given to us, that your grace will be there to care for us. And we ask this in Jesus name, Amen.