Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 12, 32-48
Jesus said to his disciples:
“Do not be afraid any longer, little flock,
for your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom.
Sell your belongings and give alms.
Provide money bags for yourselves that do not wear out,
an inexhaustible treasure in heaven
that no thief can reach nor moth destroy.
For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.
“Gird your loins and light your lamps
and be like servants who await their master’s return from a wedding,
ready to open immediately when he comes and knocks.
Blessed are those servants
whom the master finds vigilant on his arrival.
Amen, I say to you, he will gird himself,
have them recline at table, and proceed to wait on them.
And should he come in the second or third watch
and find them prepared in this way,
blessed are those servants.
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, the master will put the servant
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 the servant 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.”
Where your treasure is, there also will your heart be
1. Fear not. Don’t be afraid because there’s someone greater than you and your problems and He’s with you. God loves you, needs you and wants to give you eternal life for He desires that everyone be saved and find the peace only He can provide. Don’t be afraid, because despite everything you face and go through, God never leaves you alone.
2. Your treasure, your heart. Today is a good day to look at where your heart is. What are your dreams, your hopes, what do you want for your life? This is where all your energy for living comes from. What dreams and hopes do you have? Because if you’re not clear about that, you won’t even have the will to live. What is it that makes you get up every day? Maybe I’m asking a lot of questions, but I want you to look at yourself and realize that you’re more alive than ever and that you have treasures in your life, that not everything is sad and depressing. You need to find a purpose in your life. Your heart has to aim for what you want, love, and long for.
3. Thieves. Yes, there are thieves too and Jesus asks you to be watchful and aware because some thieves will try to steal your treasures.
There are thieves of affection. These are people who abuse your heart, shatter it, and make you completely dependent on them. They steal the joy of being a happy lover and make you suffer for being in love.
Also, watch out for ideological thieves. They try to show you a perfect world with their ideas, but they end up taking away your freedom and your life. You become a slave to an institution.
And be careful of thieves of your identity. They might act friendly, but they believe they own your life, leading you to lose the most precious treasure: freedom. You’re free; never risk your freedom for anyone or anything. God gave you this beautiful gift—take care of it. Remember that the Lord will never threaten your freedom. Don’t let anyone steal your hope of being happy. Don’t let anyone take away your joy and your smile. Those who truly love you respect and accept you just as you are.
Be aware of these thieves. To stay watchful, you must remember your goals, your dreams, your intentions, and where you want your life to go. This is the only way to avoid being trapped by someone or something.
Always remember that something good is on the way!
God bless you and be with you in the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
