Daily Gospel Reflection
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October 20, 2021
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 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, he will put him
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 parable of the servants waiting for their master’s return always reminds me of that classic definition of integrity: “Do what is right even when no one is looking.”
Today, with so many security cameras and smartphones constantly recording, it seems that everyone is looking at the most mundane things we do. Even before modern technology, Christians have believed that God is always watching over us and taking an interest in how we live our lives.
The thought of always being watched can sound a bit creepy. It could induce anxiety and fear as we strive to do what is right, but we have to remember that Jesus isn’t trying to burden us with paranoia. He is trying to set us free. He calls us to be our best selves by aligning our will with God’s will, just as the servants in the parable are being called to align their wills with that of their master.
Acting with integrity isn’t about fearing retribution because we fall short. Instead, it is being able to say, “I am who I say I am.” That is what Jesus himself was saying and doing his entire earthly ministry. Whether he was teaching in the temple, curing the sick on the roadside, or behind closed doors in the upper room, Jesus was who he said he was—the Christ. So much so that his refusal to be anyone but his fullest self led to his death and his resurrection.
So today let us live with integrity. Not the false sense of integrity that scares us into doing what is right but the integrity that invites us to live fully as ourselves because the risen Christ is dwelling in our hearts.
Prayer
Taking you for granted, dear Father, is as dangerous as taking any of our important relationships for granted. There’s too much at stake, and Jesus has promised that there will be repercussions for those who are lackadaisical—not just towards you, but to everyone who depends on us. We are honored that you would entrust so much to us, yet we are aware of our weaknesses and fears. We need your help and that of your Spirit so that we can fulfill your needs and desires. Amen.
Saint of the Day
St. Paul of the Cross was an 18th century Italian mystic who founded the Passionist order after receiving a vision.
He was born in 1694 in northern Italy near Genoa. His father owned a store, and moved the family frequently in an effort to make ends meet in better markets. His parents bore 16 children, but only six survived childhood—Paul was the second of those.
Paul went to a school for boys run by a priest and was an excellent student. He returned home when he was 15, and began to gather other boys in the neighborhood into a community of sorts dedicated to prayer and good works. He went on to teach catechism in nearby parishes.
When he was 19, Paul had a conversion in which he saw that he was not cooperating with God's grace enough, and dedicated himself to a life of prayer and discipline. Soon, Jesus’ suffering and death—his passion—became a central focus for the young man because he believed it was the most important thing for people to know about God.
“It is an excellent and holy practice to call to mind and meditate on our Lord's passion, since it is by this path that we shall arrive at union with God,” he wrote. “In this, the holiest of all schools, true wisdom is learned, for it was there that all the saints became wise.”
When he was 26 years old, Paul experienced a vision during prayer in which he heard God calling him to establish a new religious community dedicated to Jesus’ passion. In the vision, he saw himself clothed in the habit that his community would wear: a long, black robe with a white symbol stitched in the center—a white cross above a white heart that held the words, “passion of Jesus Christ.” The new community was grounded in poverty and solitude and had a mission to encourage people to meditate on the suffering and death of Jesus.
"The service of God does not require good words and good desires,” Paul said, “but efficient workmanship, fervor and courage." Paul’s first follower was his own brother, John Baptist. The two moved to Rome to seek approval for the new order, and were invited to help establish a new hospital.
The brothers studied theology and were ordained priests by the pope in 1727. They went out to rural, underserved areas to preach missions. Paul in particular was an excellent preacher and the community began to grow as more and more people were touched by their ministry and other young men wanted to join their efforts.
When Paul preached, people listened—he would scourge himself and hold the cross to urge people to call upon the sufferings of Jesus to reform their ways. One army officer told him, "Father, I have been in great battles without ever flinching at the cannon's roar, but when I listen to you I tremble from head to foot."
As he grew in holiness, Paul was given supernatural gifts—he could see into the future, and sick people became well through his prayer and touch. At times he could appear to people who were far away.
When Paul died in 1775, his community held 180 priests and brothers, and also included a convent of contemplative sisters. St. Vincent Strambi was a Passionist priest who was named a bishop. The Passionists came to America in 1852—here, the feast day for St. Paul of the Cross is perpetually transferred to Oct. 20; the rest of the world celebrates his feast day on Oct. 19.
Relics of St. Paul of the Cross rest in the reliquary chapel in the Basilica on campus.
St. Paul of the Cross, you urge us to seek the “wisdom of the saints” in Jesus’ suffering and death—pray for us!
Image Credit: Our featured image of St. Paul of the Cross is in the public domain. Last accessed October 4, 2024 on Wikimedia Commons.
