From: Matthew 24:42-51
Vigilance. The Faithful Servant
(Jesus said to his disciples,) [42] “Watch therefore, for you do not know on
what day your Lord is coming. [43] But know this, that if the householder had
known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have watched
and would not have let his house be broken into. [44] Therefore you also must
be ready; for the Son of man is coming at an hour you do not expect.
[45] “Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his master has set over
his household, to give them their food at the proper time? [46] Blessed is that
servant whom his master when he comes will find so doing. [47] Truly, I say
to you, he will set him over all his possessions. [48] But if that wicked servant
says to himself, ‘My master is delayed,’ [49] and begins to beat his fellow ser-
vants, and eats and drinks with the drunken, [50] the master of that servant
will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not
know, [51] and will punish him, and put him with the hypocrites; there men
will weep and gnash their teeth.”
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Commentary:
42. Jesus himself draws from this revelation about the future the practical moral
that a Christian needs to be on the watch, living each day as if it were his last.
The important thing is not to be speculating about when these events will hap-
pen and what form they will take, but to live in such a way that they find us in
the state of grace.
51. “And will punish him [or, cut him in pieces]”: this can be understood as a
metaphor for “will cast him away”. “Weeping and gnashing of teeth”: the pains
of hell.
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Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.
Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.
Scripture readings from the Jerusalem Bible by Darton, Longman & Todd
Readings at Mass
Liturgical Colour: Green.
| First reading |
| 1 Thessalonians 3:7-13 © |
Brothers, your faith has been a great comfort to us in the middle of our own troubles and sorrows; now we can breathe again, as you are still holding firm in the Lord. How can we thank God enough for you, for all the joy we feel before our God on your account? We are earnestly praying night and day to be able to see you face to face again and make up any shortcomings in your faith.
May God our Father himself, and our Lord Jesus Christ, make it easy for us to come to you. May the Lord be generous in increasing your love and make you love one another and the whole human race as much as we love you. And may he so confirm your hearts in holiness that you may be blameless in the sight of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus Christ comes with all his saints.
| Responsorial Psalm |
| Psalm 89(90):3-4,12-14,17 © |
Fill us with your love that we may rejoice.
You turn men back to dust
and say: ‘Go back, sons of men.’
To your eyes a thousand years
are like yesterday, come and gone,
no more than a watch in the night.
Fill us with your love that we may rejoice.
Make us know the shortness of our life
that we may gain wisdom of heart.
Lord, relent! Is your anger for ever?
Show pity to your servants.
Fill us with your love that we may rejoice.
In the morning, fill us with your love;
we shall exult and rejoice all our days.
Let the favour of the Lord be upon us:
give success to the work of our hands.
Fill us with your love that we may rejoice.
| Gospel Acclamation |
Jn15:15 |
Alleluia, alleluia!
I call you friends, says the Lord,
because I have made known to you
everything I have learnt from my Father.
Alleluia!
Alleluia, alleluia!
Stay awake and stand ready,
because you do not know the hour
when the Son of Man is coming.
Alleluia!
| Gospel |
| Matthew 24:42-51 © |
Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Stay awake, because you do not know the day when your master is coming. You may be quite sure of this, that if the householder had known at what time of the night the burglar would come, he would have stayed awake and would not have allowed anyone to break through the wall of his house. Therefore, you too must stand ready because the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.
‘What sort of servant, then, is faithful and wise enough for the master to place him over his household to give them their food at the proper time? Happy that servant if his master’s arrival finds him at this employment. I tell you solemnly, he will place him over everything he owns. But as for the dishonest servant who says to himself, “My master is taking his time,” and sets about beating his fellow servants and eating and drinking with drunkards, his master will come on a day he does not expect and at an hour he does not know. The master will cut him off and send him to the same fate as the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth.’