19^th Sunday in Ordinary Time (C); August 10, 2025

Wis 18:6-9.  Ps 33.  Heb 11:1-2,8-19.  Lk 12:32-48

Deacon Jim McFadden

       Many of our Gospel readings this summer have been about the Call to Discipleship, which necessarily flows from our Baptism.  Today’s passage notes that once we’ve made the transition from the Ego-drama (my life is about me) to the Theo-drama (God is the center of my life), then discipleship inevitably ensures.  We now have the sense that God is constantly passing through our life and that we need to be very attentive and vigilant where God is calling us.  We shouldn’t dilly-dally, straddle the fence, but be aware that It is game on!  That’s the sense of urgency in today’s Gospel in which were told not to be afraid and to be ready to proclaim the Good News.

         The commonly used expression in the entire Bible is “do not be afraid,” which occurs 365 times, which has got to be a divine joke in that we need to be reminded every day not to give into fear.  Jesus has just finished speaking to his disciples about how much the Father cares for the lilies of the field and birds of the air, and all the more for his children.  Since we are being loved unconditionally right here and now and for all of eternity, there is no need to worry or be depressed because we are in God’s hands.  Jesus is inviting us not to be afraid and we should trust him and take his invitation to heart.  But, with so much chaos churning our society, feelings of anxiety and distrust creep in, magnified by the social internet and cable news.  We live in a very competitive, success driven society in which there are winners and losers and you don’t want to be on the wrong side to paraphrase Bruce Springsteen.  So, we grapple with the fear of failure, of not being good enough, of not being accepted for who I am.  In the scramble to combat the gnawing fear, we look for solutions, to find a space where I can feel secure, to accumulate wealth, to build walls to protect me.  And, how do we end up?  Miserable…as we constantly worry. 

         Then Jesus says to us: do not be afraid.  Trust in your heavenly Father who wants to give to you all that you really need.  He has already given us his only begotten Son, his Kingdom, and he accompanies us every step on our Way to our destiny.  Every moment of our existence God is available caring for us and showering us with his mercy and grace.  What more do we need?  That’s why we should not be afraid as long as our heart is attached to God.

         Knowing that the Lord watches over and cares for us does not entitle us to be lazy, to fall asleep at the wheel, or to succumb to spiritual laziness, aka sloth.  On the contrary, we must be alert,  as St. Peter reminds us, “Be sober and vigilant.  Your opponent the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (1 Pt 5:8).  Indeed, if we’re going to follow the Great Commandment, we need to be attentive to the other—to God and our neighbor.  Regarding the latter, we need to be aware of the needs of our brothers and sisters, we need to be available to them, to welcome the, and to be ready!

         Be ready. This is Jesus’ second invitation.  He repeats this invitation several times through three parables.  Today’s Gospel is involves the parable of the master of the house who returns home from a long journey.  The message for all three parables is that if we are going to follow the Way of Jesus, we must be awake; we can’t fall asleep, that is, not be distracted by the lure of the goods of the world; not to give into spiritual laziness in which we forego a regular and discipled interior prayer life.  The Lord comes to us in very unexpected ways and if we’re not alert, we’ll miss him.  We need to be attentive to our Lord Jesus and that is a day-to-day commitment.  We need to be alert; there are no time-outs.

         At the end of our life, we will have to give an accounting for all the spiritual goods and graces he has entrusted to us.  Being vigilant also means being responsible—that is, have I safeguarded and used those goods faithfully.  We have received so much (!):  Our humanity in which we are made in the image of God; our gifts and talents; our family; our social relationships especially those of the Church; places where we call home; our city or rural area; the goodness of Creation.  We have received so many things and the least we can do is to stay awake, less we fall asleep when the Lord passes by.  This was St. Augustine’s great fear who said, “I am afraid that the Lord will pass by and I will not notice.”  To be asleep, and not to notice that the Lord has entered our home, our soul—that is a great loss.  So, we need to be alert!

         May the Virgin Mary help us, who welcomed the Lord’s visit and readily and generously said, “Here I am.”  Amen.

Reflection Questions:

1. When are you aware that the Lord is passing through your life?
2. Jesus says to us, “Do not be afraid.”  How do you live without fear?
3. Spiritually, how do you stay alert?