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Message from the desk of the Pastor:

NINETEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

Sunday, August 10, 2025

Gospel Reading 

Luke 12:32-48

You also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect,

the Son of Man will come.

Background on the Gospel Reading

Jesus' instructions on how to be ready for the coming judgment continue in the stories and sayings found in today's Gospel. We are not to be like the greedy rich  man in last Sunday's Gospel who planned to store his great harvest in barns rather than share it. We are, rather, to share our wealth with those in need. The antidote      for the anxiety brought on by the coming judgment is to relinquish our possessions and provide for the needs of others. Our treasure will be in heaven where it will not wear out or be destroyed.

The other major way to be ready for the coming judgment is to be watchful. In    Luke's Gospel, Jesus tells a parable about watchfulness to begin making this      point. We must be like servants waiting for the master's return from a wedding banquet, which, even now, can last for a few days in the Middle East. We must          be watchful so that even if the master comes after midnight, we will be ready for  him. This is what the coming of the Son of Man will be like.

Peter asks if this parable is meant for the apostles or for the large crowd that has gathered to listen to Jesus. Without answering Peter's question, Jesus responds    with another parable about servants awaiting the return of their master. It begins  with a question: “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?” This parable adds to the theme of watchfulness; it explains how to wait and reminds us of the reward for the faithful follower at the heavenly banquet after the judgment. If it is addressed to the apostles, then it could also be addressed to leadership in the early Church. Either way, the parables reminds us that we should    be found doing our jobs when the master arrives. If we are doing our jobs, our    reward will be great. But if we relax, neglect our duties, and begin to act like the greedy rich man—eating, drinking, and making merry—we will not have a place in      the kingdom. Watchfulness means living in such a consistently moral and obedient way that we are always ready to give an account to God of how we have lived.

Family Connection

Years ago, most families had only one or two clocks in their home. Today, we have clocks everywhere—on our walls, on our microwave ovens, on our DVD players, on  our cell phones, and so on. As a family, go through the house and count how many clocks (time-telling devices) your family has. Talk about important events for which family members need to be on time. Recall experiences of being late for something, either as individuals or as a family. Explain that in this Sunday's Gospel, Jesus talks about how important it is for us to be aware and alert, otherwise, we will miss something.

Read aloud Luke 12:32-48. Talk about the parable that Jesus told and discuss how the master will feel if he arrives to find his servant doing his job. Discuss what our  job is as disciples of Jesus. Explain that, just as we need to be aware of the time so that we don't miss anything important, we also need to be alert and focused on our jobs, our responsibilities as followers of Jesus.

Encourage each family member to place a sacred symbol near the clock that they  use most in the house and to use the symbol and the clock as a reminder that it is always “time” for us to be acting like disciples of Christ.