Arulvakku

19.10.11 FIDELITY

Posted under Reflections on October 19th, 2011 by

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 him 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 (Lk 12:39-48)

 

 

“Is this parable meant for us or for everyone?” This is an interesting question. Peter himself questions Jesus. He represents the vast majority of the society at the time of Jesus and of course our own times. Pharisees and the leaders always thought that they were right and no message could be given to them. They could not be corrected and also they could not be taught. Preaching and parables are always for someone else.

 

Fidelity is always and at all times. Fidelity is not for the eye of the person. That is to say that not as long as the person is there or the person is watching one should be faithful. Fidelity is to the duty or the mission. There are many who are faithful to the eyes of the others or the leaders and this will not receive any reward for Jesus. Fidelity only to the eye of the person will be punished.

 

Those who are faithful will be trusted more and be entrusted with much more. This also implies that fidelity not some thing which is reached once and for all. It is something that evolves develops and grows. One should grow in fidelity. Fidelity in single and simple things will make one to grow in being faithful to greater things.

 

 

18.10.11 PREACHING THE KINGDOM

Posted under Reflections on October 18th, 2011 by

After this the Lord appointed seventy (-two) others whom he sent ahead of him in pairs to every town and place he intended to visit. He said to them, "The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest. Go on your way; behold, I am sending you like lambs among wolves. Carry no money bag, no sack, no sandals; and greet no one along the way. Into whatever house you enter, first say, 'Peace to this household.' If a peaceful person lives there, your peace will rest on him; but if not, it will return to you. Stay in the same house and eat and drink what is offered to you, for the laborer deserves his payment. Do not move about from one house to another. Whatever town you enter and they welcome you, eat what is set before you, cure the sick in it and say to them, 'The kingdom of God is at hand for you.' (Lk 10:1-9)

 

 

Jesus sent seventy (two) followers ahead of him to prepare for his arrival. He was preaching the kingdom and the disciples were sent ahead to prepare for the visit of the master. One way of preparing is to pray for the labourers of the kingdom. Disciples should be aware that they are sent only to prepare and to pray for the arrival of the master.

 

They were not supposed to carry money, bags, no sandals and they should not greet anyone on the way. All these seem to be strange. But only those who enter into the temple do no carry bags and do not put on sandals and so on. So their journey should be as if they were entering the temple. Their ministry should be as if they were doing their worship.

 

They were asked to communicate only peace as they go around. If they were of men of peace then they should continue to serve them. So peace was one of the main requirements for the ministry. If the people were not in line with this then the ministry would be ineffective. If people have no mind for peace then the disciples were asked to shake off the dust of their feet. This would imply that they have nothing to do with them (because they were not of the same making – out of dust)  

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