05 Aug Monday

Ordinary Time 19 C: The Gospel sayings are place by Luke among a long string of teachings, loosely held together under the theme of discipleship and the characteristics it requires of a person. The greed mentioned in last Sunday’s Gospel, here becomes a opportunity for teaching on money, the ultimate earthly thing and teaching on stewardship as service. The servants are attentive and vigilant. The extreme saying about the Master beating the servants does not sit well in our culture; no more than those in the ancient world, we have had enough violence. For us the saying evokes images of child spankings or the unbearable situation of slavery in the modern world. The lectionary makes this part of the narrative option in the long version. Then next Sunday, Jesus appears to be even more extreme about the nature of his ministry and the coming of the reign of God.

The best saying here is arguably this: “For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.” The ancestors, Abraham, and the disciples walking with Jesus to Jerusalem are people whose heart is being formed in this heavenly treasure on the way. The Word of God is at work in us forming this same heart of a disciple, who is no long afraid of the things of this earth.