Wednesday of the Twenty-ninth Week in Ordinary Time
Free And Vigilant
Liturgical Cycle: A | Lectionary Cycle: II
Introduction
Year II. Paul, who may be the author of part of Ephesians, speaks of the grace given him to preach the good news of Christ to Gentiles, so that they could share in the mystery of Christ.
In the Gospel, Luke speaks of the vigilance of Christians and their leaders. They are responsible for the grace and the talents God has given them. And, says Jesus, the more has been given to us, the more is expected of us; the more we have to be responsible for those entrusted to us.
Opening Prayer
Our God and Father,
in the generosity of your creative imagination
you distribute among people
a variety of gifts and talents
of mind and heart and grace.
Convince us, Lord, that what we have received,
we have received for others,
that if we have been given more,
we are not greater or better,
only responsible for more.
Help us to use what we are and have
in the service of others.
We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord.
(Partially based on a text by Helder Camara)
First Reading
You may have heard about the blessings God granted me for your benefit.
By a revelation, he revealed to me the knowledge of his mysterious design, as I have briefly explained.
Reading them gives you an idea of how I understand the mystery of Christ.
This mystery was not revealed to past generations, but only now through revelations given to holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit.
Now, the Gentiles share in the inheritance; in Christ Jesus, they are united and will enjoy the promise.
This is the good news,
of which I have become a minister by a gift from God; a grace he gave me when his power was at work in me.
This grace was given to me, the least of all the holy ones, to proclaim to the Gentiles the boundless riches of Christ
and to make known to everyone how the mystery hidden from the beginning in God, the Creator of all, is to be fulfilled.
Even the heavenly forces and powers will now discover through the church, the wisdom of God in its manifold expression, as the plan is being fulfilled,
which God designed from the beginning in Christ Jesus, our LORD.
In him, we receive boldness and confidence to approach God.
Responsorial Psalm
R. (see 3) You will draw water joyfully from the springs of salvation.
God indeed is my savior;
I am confident and unafraid.
My strength and my courage is the LORD,
and he has been my savior.
With joy you will draw water
at the fountain of salvation.
R. You will draw water joyfully from the springs of salvation.
Give thanks to the LORD, acclaim his name;
among the nations make known his deeds,
proclaim how exalted is his name.
R. You will draw water joyfully from the springs of salvation.
Sing praise to the LORD for his glorious achievement;
let this be known throughout all the earth.
Shout with exultation, O city of Zion,
for great in your midst
is the Holy One of Israel!
R. You will draw water joyfully from the springs of salvation.
Alleluia Verse
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Stay awake!
For you do not know when the Son of Man will come.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
Pay attention to this: If the homeowner had known when the thief would arrive, he wouldn’t have let his house be broken into.
You also need to be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour you don’t expect.
Peter asked:
“Lord, did you tell this parable only for us, or for everyone?”
And the Lord replied:
“Imagine, then, the wise and faithful steward, whom the master puts in charge of his other servants to give them wheat at the right time.
Blessed is that servant if his master, upon returning, finds him doing his job.
Truly, I say to you, the master will put him in charge of all his possessions.
But it may be that the steward thinks, ‘My Lord delays in coming,’ and he begins to abuse the male servants and the servant girls, eating, drinking, and getting drunk.
Then the master will come on a day he does not expect and at an hour he doesn’t know. He will cut him off and send him to the same fate as the unfaithful.
The servant who knew his master’s will but did not prepare or do what his master wanted will be severely punished;
however, the one who unintentionally does what deserves punishment will receive fewer blows. Much will be required of the one who has been given much, and more will be demanded of the one who has been entrusted with more.
Prayers of the Faithful
– That the Church may bring the light of faith where there is darkness and indifference, hope where there is fatalism and despair, and love where there is hatred and strife, we pray:
– That those who are discouraged by trials and by their troubles and fears may keep believing and hoping in a God who brings everything to a good end, we pray:
– That all of us may grow in the certainty that our commitment to justice and love and our dedicated service in life are needed to help God’s promises come true, we pray:
Prayer over the Gifts
Lord our God,
let these signs of bread and wine
express that we are willing
to serve you and people
in responsible freedom.
Let your Son share with us
his strength and loyalty,
to make us wise and faithful stewards
of the message of justice and love
entrusted to us by Jesus Christ,
your Son and our Lord for ever.
Prayer after Communion
Lord our God,
to let us know that you expect of us
more than we are capable of,
you have given us again
the word and body of your Son.
Help us to live according to the gospel
as people set free by Jesus
and responsible with him
for the progress in this world
of integrity and love.
We ask this of you through Christ our Lord.
Blessing
“From everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required,” says Jesus. We have received much from God: our faith, our capacity to love, and the pardon of our sins. Let us thank the Lord and ask for the blessing of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
REFLECTIONS
Luke 12:39–48
Free And Vigilant
The thief described here doesn't bother with picking a lock. Instead, the Greek imagery suggests a house that has been dug through, which makes sense given the simple building materials typical of a small village. This helps us understand why people living in such a settlement knew that staying alert was more important than relying solely on bolts for security.
In that image, Jesus shifts to describing a situation in which the stakes differ. The steward was typically a trusted slave, often born into the household, responsible for managing the property, distributing food rations to other household members, and overseeing everything in the owner's absence. His authority over other servants was genuine, and there was always the temptation to misuse that power when the master's return was unpredictable.
Luke's readers were already living with that delay of the hope of the Lord's return. The servant's comment about a master being delayed suggests that the community is adjusting its expectations and is advised to avoid acting rashly in the meantime.
The penalties described at the end reflect ancient household discipline, where punishment depended on the servant's understanding of their master's will. Fr Fernando Armellini notes that the severity depicted in the image relates more to the Rabbis of that era than to God, emphasising that those with greater responsibility bear greater accountability; his commentary on this passage from Luke highlights this distinction. The passage primarily addresses those responsible for others and offers a thoughtful perspective rather than a threat.
Pope Francis, reflecting on this passage, emphasized being alert to God's presence in one's life, approaching it with calmness and avoiding complacency. (see Angelus, 11 August 2019).