Wednesday, August 30, 2006
Thursday 21st Week in Ordinary Time
August 31, 2006
Thursday 21st Week in Ordinary Time - Yr II
1 CORINTHIANS 1:1-9
>From Paul, who was called by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ
Jesus, and from our brother Sosthenes. To the church of God which is in
Corinth, to all who are called to be God's holy people, who belong to
him in union with Christ Jesus, together with all people everywhere who
worship our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours: May God our Father
and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace. I always give
thanks to my God for you because of the grace he has given you through
Christ Jesus. For in union with Christ you have become rich in all
things, including all speech and all knowledge. The message about
Christ has become so firmly established in you that you have not failed
to receive a single blessing, as you wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to
be revealed. He will also keep you firm to the end, so that you will be
faultless on the Day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is to be trusted,
the God who called you to have fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ,
our Lord.
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
In today's parable Jesus urges us to be alert. There's urgency in the
message Jesus has for the servant who takes advantage of his master's
absence to eat and drink with drunkards and to maltreat his fellow
servants. The master will come when least expected. If he finds his
servant living boisterously, unconcerned about his duties, the servant
will merit severe punishment.
There's also urgency in Jesus' message for the responsible servant. We
can find this urgency well exemplified in a very brief ritual that's
performed when a new Pope has been elected. It's a solemn moment. The
newly elected pontiff is seated on the papal throne. He's surrounded by
the college of cardinals. An attendant enters, carrying an unlit
candle, and stands before the pope. He lights the candle and after a
very brief moment blows it out. He then chants, addressing the pope,
"Ecce Sancte Pater, sic transeat Gloria mundi." ("Take a good look,
Holy Father. This is what happens to the glory of this world.")
The ritual reminds the pope that time is short, that he will soon be
called by God to give an account of his stewardship. Time is precious.
It's not to be wasted. He must commit himself to the tasks the papacy
imposes on him, he must get down quickly to accomplishing these tasks
and do them well.
As Jesus puts it, the faithful, farsighted servant who is in charge of
the master's household, even in the master's absence, will distribute
food at the proper time to all in the house. His master will find this
servant working upon his return home.
PRAYER REQUESTS
We pray ...
- for a deep and profound respect for life, especially for the unborn.
- for healing, good health and personal intentions of Din, Ian and
Colin Aidin Grant.
- for the eternal repose of the soul of Isaac Guevarra. Eternal
rest grant unto him and may perpetual light shine upon him. May he
and all the souls of the dearly departed rest in peace.
- for all the prayer intentions in the MTQ Dailyprayer Diary.
- Birthday: Marianne Co
- Wedding Anniversary: Willy & Denisa Tong
- for world peace and reconciliation.
Finally, we pray for one another, for those who have asked our
prayers and for those who need our prayers the most.
Have a good day!
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