33rd Week in Ordinary Time

He was near Jerusalem and they thought that the Kingdom of God would appear there immediately. 

Excitement was building.   Jesus was headed to Jerusalem, the political and spiritual center of Israel.   Like the nobleman in today’s parable (Luke 19:11), he was on a journey “to obtain the kingship” (Luke 19:12).   And like this nobleman, he faced strong opposition from people who did not want to acknowledge his reign (19:14).

But this parable isn’t about the intrigue surrounding whether the nobleman would be successful in his bid for kingship.   It’s about the people who were already loyal to him, the servants who maintained his household.   How would they spend the time while they awaited their master’s return?   Would they invest in the coming kingdom, confident in their master’s claim and in his authority?   Or would they hedge their bets, not sure whether their master would triumph?   In other words, did they believe in him, and did their faith translate into action?

Like the nobleman in the parable, Jesus is still awaiting kingship.   He is still waiting for every knee to bow to him and for everyone to accept his rule and reign at the end of time (Philippians 2:10).   And like the servants awaiting their master’s return, each of us faces the same set of questions:   “Will I invest in the coming kingdom?  Do I believe in Jesus?   Does my faith translate into action?”

The two servants who multiplied what was given to them invested their whole lives in the kingdom.   They chose to live as if that kingdom were already fully present, even though it wasn’t.   They chose to take significant risks, and in so doing, they gained tremendous profits for the master—and for themselves.

This is how God wants us to live.   We can double what God has given to us by treating everyone with mercy and generosity.   We can even triple the profit as we devote ourselves to telling people about Jesus in the hope that they too will embrace him as their king.   Let’s take some risks for this kingdom.   Jesus promises great rewards for all who do!

“Jesus, I want to follow you, whatever the cost.   Help me to live today as a citizen of your coming kingdom.”

2 Maccabees 7:1, 20-31
Psalm 17:1, 5-6, 8, 15

Word Among Us