The Master's knock

Luke 12:32-48

          There's just so much talking about death that you can bear. Just one more reason to be fearless. It's a cosmic way of your Psyche saying, 'here's your hat, what's your hurry?' You really want an answer either way. Am I going to go? or am I going to stay?  That's not for us to say so prepare as best you can. Live as best you can. Know that the 'master' may come at any time, be prepared to greet him. What a great reading for today.

           As I noted yesterday, we get accustomed to the daily routine that makes us think we are immortal. And yet our life as a faithful person is supposed to be geared toward eternal life.

          There is a school of thought that attaining 'perfection' or at least preparing for our next life is how we embrace and live this life right now.  In exploring what it is to be fully human is to embrace what God created us to be. This is true to the most intimate of levels so that you must discern everything about yourself to attain true holiness.  Denials of who you are or not living up to your God given potential is probably one of the biggest sins against God and yourself.

            On a broad scale, this is why we nurture prodigies. This is also why you have a whole movement afoot to say I'm out and proud.  While being prideful can be an insidious thing, it also is what God wants us to be as his unique and loved creations. If you have been put down, marginalized or mistreated simply for being who you are, there is a special need to acknowledge and feel pride in who you are. From being black to being gay you finally stand up and scream, HEH! I'm here and proud. Why even the lowly geeks of yore have found a pride among themselves. It seems now that the geeks rule the world. 

            How wonderful it is to embrace who you are, be all that you can be and be ready for the "Master" when he comes not at your door. You will be able to say this is what our Father created and this is what I have done with it.  I would hate to be called and for God to say, 'you had such potential' or 'in denying who you are you denied me as your creator'.

          

            

‘Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions, and give alms. Make purses for yourselves that do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

‘Be dressed for action and have your lamps lit; be like those who are waiting for their master to return from the wedding banquet, so that they may open the door for him as soon as he comes and knocks. Blessed are those slaves whom the master finds alert when he comes; truly I tell you, he will fasten his belt and have them sit down to eat, and he will come and serve them. If he comes during the middle of the night, or near dawn, and finds them so, blessed are those slaves.

‘But know this: if the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.’

Peter said, ‘Lord, are you telling this parable for us or for everyone?’ And the Lord said, ‘Who then is the faithful and prudent manager whom his master will put in charge of his slaves, to give them their allowance of food at the proper time? Blessed is that slave whom his master will find at work when he arrives. Truly I tell you, he will put that one in charge of all his possessions. But if that slave says to himself, “My master is delayed in coming”, and if he begins to beat the other slaves, men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk, the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour that he does not know, and will cut him in pieces, and put him with the unfaithful. That slave who knew what his master wanted, but did not prepare himself or do what was wanted, will receive a severe beating.But one who did not know and did what deserved a beating will receive a light beating. From everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required; and from one to whom much has been entrusted, even more will be demanded.