29th Week in Ordinary Time : Wednesday 25th October 2023

The parable in the Gospel is linked to the inevitable return of the Son of Man at the end of time. The main point here is the challenge to the believer to constantly prepare for the Lord’s return.

The day and time as to when He will come is unknown. Jesus compares His return to that of a housemaster and a thief. While it is certain that the master will come home from the wedding, but the timing of his return is unknown. This is unlike the coming of a thief when both the day and time are unknown.

The evangelist wrote this parable in response to the situation in the early Church when many believers questioned whether Jesus would return as He had promised. The delay of His return was causing uncertainty and even loss of faith among some of them.

In his letter to the Romans, Paul has to remind the believers that it would be easy to give in to the desires and passions of the world while waiting for Christ to return. He lists several imperatives that challenge the believers to live in intimate relationships with the Risen Lord.

They are not to yield to natural desires, which will only pit them against God. He also reminds them to give themselves to God once and for all. They cannot seek to live independently without Christ. Since they have been freed from the slavery of sin by Jesus’s passion, death and resurrection, they are now servants of the Lord, who is now their master.

Lord, may You be my Master always.