Shane Hyland, Leader of School Evangelisation at St Joseph’s Regional College reads today from the Gospel of Luke (12: 39-48) in which Jesus tells his disciples, ‘’You may be quite sure of this, that if the householder had known at what hour the burglar would come, he would not have let anyone break through the wall of his house. You too must stand ready, because the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.’

Shane says, today, once again, we listen to the community that surrounded Luke wrestling with the idea that Jesus is not returning as soon as they had thought he would and what they should do to prepare for his return.

And we, like Luke’s community, are still wrestling with how to prepare.

When we recite the creed on Sundays, whether it’s the Nicene Creed or the Apostles Creed, we reaffirm our belief in the day of judgement. We say together “He will come again in Glory to judge the living and the dead”. It is a fundamental tenet of Christianity.

In today’s Gospel we receive a warning that comes straight from the mouth of the living God and this should give us pause. It’s not enough to simply say ‘I am a Christian and I believe that Jesus has saved me’. We also believe that we are sinners and are in constant need of saving. We recall our failings and ask for God’s mercy at the beginning of every eucharistic celebration, we return time and again to the sacrament of penance and we participate in these things because we have heard the good news!

So what’s the dilemma?

Jesus puts it this way ‘A great deal has been given you on trust’ and to that person a great deal will be demanded.

In another place in Luke’s Gospel, he says it is a bit like putting your hand to the plough. Once you start, and are aware of God’s plan for the kingdom, it should be difficult to go back to old ways.

Something to think about, Shane says, is what has God entrusted to you, his steward? What is it that makes you turn your head and look back whilst you have your hand on the plough?