Thursday of the
Twenty-first Week in Ordinary Time
(I Corinthians 1:1-9; Matthew 24:42-51)
A year before he was murdered, Dr. Martin Luther King
Jr., delivered a famous speech about work.
He preached that each of us in her or his occupation should do the best
job possible. Knowing that many of the
people listening to him had relatively simple jobs, he focused on street
sweepers. “If a man is called to be a
street sweeper,” King said, “he should sweep streets even as a Michelangelo
painted, or Beethoven composed music or Shakespeare wrote poetry.” In today’s gospel Jesus calls his disciples
to work with the same kind of diligence.
The passage comprises the middle section of Jesus’ “eschatological
discourse” in Matthew’s gospel. The Lord
is teaching his disciples how to consider the end of time when he will come in
glory. Ironically he says that one
prepares for his coming by not preparing.
Since the end will come when it is least expected, disciples must always
be ready for it. They are to assiduously
fulfill their daily responsibilities.
Jesus uses a butler as his prime example. As a worthy butler will dispense food rations
equitably so must disciples perform their duties prudently. As the
responsible butler will be made chief steward, faithful disciples will find secure
places in the Kingdom.
For many of us a new year is beginning at this time when
summer is ending. It is time to
rededicate ourselves to our task – be it school work or waiting tables. We do it for the Lord as much as for
ourselves or for the common good. We
want people to say, “There goes a true Christian,” if they should see us at
work.
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