Daily Gospel Reflection

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October 25, 2023

Wednesday of the Twenty-ninth Week in Ordinary Time
Lk 12:39-48
Listen to the Audio Version

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.”

Reflection

Elizabeth (McAvoy) Gibson '96
ND Parent and Member of the Notre Dame Club of the Lehigh Valley
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When I first read this gospel reading, I immediately thought of being on call during my pediatric residency. Long, lonely nights spent in the hospital, dreading the alarm of the pager, the involuntary 4 a.m. shivering of my sleep-deprived body, dragging myself down to the Emergency Department for one more admission, having to be mentally and emotionally alert at all times.

At first, I thought, how awful to be on call all the time for Jesus. I still dread being on call! But Jesus is asking us for a different kind of awareness. It isn’t meant to be a burden muscled through by sheer willpower but a holy surrender to love. What if we understood that being attentive in love to each human interaction was also a chance to meet Jesus?

Jesus is there in our everyday lives if we allow ourselves to see him. He is with us as we laugh with our children, hug our loved ones, listen to a worried friend, and even when we sin and ignore someone in need or turn our backs to injustice.

As Christians, we must live entirely for Jesus by sharing our gifts with others. But how do we have the energy to be constantly prepared? We can find strength through prayer and silent reflection, by sharing our faith at Mass, enjoying time with family and friends, and serving our community.

We can also find inspiration in the lives of holy ones like St. Therese of Lisieux and her “Little Way. “Miss no single opportunity of making some small sacrifice, here by a smiling look, there by a kindly word; always doing the smallest right and doing it all for love.”

Jesus does not just dramatically surprise us. The servant in today’s parable knew his master’s will. Instead of fearing an unexpected visit from the Son of Man, we should be filled with joy and gratitude for Jesus’ constant presence in love.

Prayer

Rev. Herbert Yost, C.S.C.

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. John Houghton

St. John Houghton was the first of England’s martyrs to be killed under King Henry’s revolt from the Catholic faith.

John was born in 1486 and educated at Cambridge. He joined the Carthusian order of monks in 1515, and in 1531 was elected to lead the community’s monastery in London.

Three years later, King Henry VIII enacted the Act of Succession, which attempted to legitimize his second marriage and the children it produced (namely Elizabeth, who was later to become queen). The act was accompanied by a requirement that all subjects swear an oath recognizing it and the king’s supremacy.

As the act stood in contradiction to Church teaching on marriage and divorce, John requested an exemption for his community. He was arrested and imprisoned in the Tower of London.

After several months of imprisonment, a compromise was reached that allowed Catholics to take the oath in good conscience by adding the phrase, “as far as the law of Christ allows.”

Soon afterwards, however, Henry declared himself the head of the Church of England with the Act of Supremacy. Again, all subjects were forced to swear an oath to acknowledge this second act; John and several other Carthusian leaders refused and asked for an exemption. They were arrested by Thomas Cromwell and thrown into prison again. In 1535, they were condemned to death, and on May 4 of that year, they were hanged, drawn, and quartered; John was the first to suffer.

They were taken to the place of their execution while still wearing their habits. St. Thomas More, also imprisoned for refusing the oath, could see John and his fellow Carthusians being drawn (dragged) by horse to their fate. Thomas’ daughter was visiting at the time, and he said to her, “Look, Meg! These blessed Fathers be now as cheerfully going to their deaths as bridegrooms to their marriage!"

After being hanged nearly to death, and before being quartered, the executioner tore open John’s habit to expose his chest. John exclaimed, “O Jesus, what would you do with my heart?”

John was the first Carthusian martyr, and the first among the 40 Martyrs of England and Wales. The 40 Martyrs are representative of the hundreds of Catholics who were tortured and killed in this dispute between England and the Church between 1535 and 1679. In 1970, the Church selected 40 from among these martyrs—men and women, laypeople, ordained, and religious—to represent the 300 or so who died. In Wales, these saints are honored today; in England they are celebrated on May 4.

St. John Houghton, you gave your heart to Jesus and your life for the truth—pray for us!


Image Credit: Our featured image of St. John Houghton is in the public domain. Last accessed October 4, 2024 on Wikimedia Commons.