In the middle of the crowd, I struggle to understand, even to hear what my master is saying. He says beware of the Pharisees. Yes, I see that. He has upset them again. He tells us not to be afraid, but he speaks about people who can kill us. So, I am afraid. At times his words are dire. They watch him at every turn. I can see the religious authorities waiting to catch him out or trap him into blasphemy.
At an hour you do not expect …
So now, why is Jesus speaking of himself as though he is a house thief? Is this another of his wild stories meant to trip us up? I am not comfortable with these thoughts. And, I don’t think the other disciples are. I wake at night nowadays, in a state of stress, with bits of a nightmare sticking in the back of my mind and a picture of our Lord standing alone before a mob of angry men while I shake my head and walk away from him. And now he is telling us a story about a householder who returns from a journey to find his home broken into and his goods gone.
The crowd is milling around us. He says it softly, but we all hear him,
‘If the master of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have left his house to be to be broken into.’.
Who does he mean? They look at me at these times, the others, like it’s ‘Peter getting him to make it clear,’ and I have to ask the question for all of us,
“Lord, are you telling this parable for us or for all?”
He looks at us and gets into the story. This master, he explains, has a huge household and he sets his right-hand man in charge while he is away. The man is trusted to look after everyone in that house. His master is a good man, and he knows he wants his people to be well looked after. He will give that man great responsibility and reward him with his friendship.
On the other hand, if the manager takes advantage of the trust his master has in him, and takes his goods, gets drunk, lashes out at men and abuses women, he’s going to be in trouble when the master gets home before he expects him.
Everyone to whom much was given
Then we get the message. He spells out what it means, being his disciples, walking alongside him.
‘Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.’
It’s costly this calling. He asks a lot and he’s going to ask for more. I’m not sure I can do what he asks but I look at the others, and I know I’ll have to do what he says. I must be ready. When the time comes, I want to stay awake and I want to stay awake with Him and for his ‘little flock.’ They can’t see it but I’m trembling and I know I’m going to need his help with that.
