XIX.O.T.-C: Wisdom 18: 6–9; Hebrews 11: 1–2; 8–19; Luke 12: 32–48

When you were a child, you may have played the game, "Hide and Go Seek" The person who is "It" closes his or her eyes, counts to ten, and then searches for the other children who are hiding. "1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10. Ready or not, here I come!"

Something like that is going on in our text. The master is off to a wedding banquet. His servants are at the family farm. Some are alert, ready for his return; some are not ready. The countdown has begun. No one knows exactly when the master will return. At the end of our story, Jesus says, "You ... must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour" (Luke 12:40).

Jesus identifies four types of people here: First, we have the servant who was vigilant and ready.  He was not worried about the outcome of his actions. He just carried out his duties entrusted to him. The master of the house would actually wait on the servant, as if the servant had become the master of the house. 

Second, there is the servant who seeks his own way. He thinks “My master is taking his time.” He postpones his end. He thinks he has enough time at hand.  Jesus says, “His master will come on a day he does not expect and at an hour he does not know.” There are many among us who choose our own way. We postpone the offer of pardon to our brothers. We postpone giving up certain evil habits, we postpone the payment of the debt. But we do not realize that we may not get another chance. We may be called at any time to settle our accounts.

Third, there is the servant who knows God's law but does not make preparations or act in accord with God's plan. These are the people who deliberately break the commandments.

Finally, there is the servant who was ignorant of God's law and acts in a way deserving of a severe punishment shall be beaten only lightly. Being ignorant of the state law does not excuse us totally from the punishment, though we may, by the bounty of the lawgiver be awarded a lighter punishment.

The Gospel ends with the admonition of Jesus: "from those to whom much has been given, much will be expected." We must value the fact that the Lord has given us much… he has died for us and given us new life in Christ, he has given us all the grace we need through the sacraments and the Church to live a life in accordance with our new dignity. Some people are afraid to receive generously from the Lord, fearing we will have as much responsibility to return.

One of the favorite stories of the great Danish philosopher, Soren Kierkegard, concerns an emperor, touring his domain and receiving the accolades of his people. When the entourage reached the market square of one village, his carriage was surrounded by cheering villagers and peasants. To the amazement of his neighbors, one brash young farmer stepped out of the crowd and approached the emperor’s carriage.

"Give me a boon, Sire," he pleaded. "Grant me a special blessing."

The villagers were even more amazed at the emperor’s reply: "Of course, my good man," he said. "Get into my carriage. Come with me. Live in my palace. Eat at my table. Marry my daughter. Be my son-in-law."

The young man exclaimed his delight, to be the emperor’s son-in-law! Then he thought about it. No more Saturday nights at the pub with his friends. No more dirty, comfortable peasant clothes. He’d have to get dressed up. He’d have to take a bath - maybe every week. He’d have to clean his fingernails. He’d have to learn the manners of the court.

He sadly shook his head and lowered his eyes. "No, Sire," he said. "I would be too uncomfortable. It would pull me out of my comfortable customs. It would be too hard to live up to. It would take too much of me."

"If you want to do something for me, give me a plot of ground, a farm, a house of my own; but to live in your palace, eat at your table, be your son-in-law - this is too much." So he declined it.

You see - he wanted the emperor’s blessing; but he wanted it on his own terms. He wanted to be blessed in doing what he wanted to do - not what the emperor wanted him to do. He wanted to be blessed right where he was, not moved out of his comfortable customs. He wanted the blessing, but not the responsibility that went with it.

That young man is nobody else, it is you and me. Though that young man did not accept the invitation to the palace life, we did accept the invitation, at our baptism, but yet refuse to change our old lifestyle of country farm life. Jesus says to whom much is given much will be demanded of him. Let’s be honest with our call and prepare ourselves to be found ready by the king and our Master when he returns.