Luke’s gospel is loaded with important faith lessons:
- Always be prepared for Christ’s coming.
- Be a good steward of God’s treasures.
- Be a faithful servant
On the surface, Luke’s lessons are practical. If we are prepared and remain faithful, we will find our reward and avoid punishment.
A popular Christian saying captures it this way: “Always open your door to the stranger because it might be Jesus in disguise.” But if we dig deeper, Luke is teaching us that by being faithful servants, we are called upon to serve others “and not to seek reward,” as Saint Ignatius would say, “except that of knowing that I do your will.” In other words, we open our door to the stranger because that is what Christ would do.
Today’s gospel concludes with a challenge: To whom much is given, much is expected.
How might we meet this challenge today and everyday?
—Jeremy Langford is the director of communications for the Midwest Jesuits, founding editor of JesuitPrayer.org, and author of Seeds of Faith: Practices to Grow a Healthy Spiritual Life ©2007 Paraclete Press, Brewster, MA.