From Concept to Final Copy

A Reflection on the Gospel for Sunday, August 7th, 2022
Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

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Luke
12.32-48

Jesus said to the disciples, “Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions, and give alms. Make purses for yourselves that do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

“Be dressed for action and have your lamps lit; be like those who are waiting for their master to return from the wedding banquet, so that they may open the door for him as soon as he comes and knocks. Blessed are those slaves whom the master finds alert when he comes; truly I tell you, he will fasten his belt and have them sit down to eat, and he will come and serve them. If he comes during the middle of the night, or near dawn, and finds them so, blessed are those slaves.
“But know this: if the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.”

Peter said, “Lord, are you telling this parable for us or for everyone?” And the Lord said, “Who then is the faithful and prudent manager whom his master will put in charge of his slaves, to give them their allowance of food at the proper time? Blessed is that slave whom his master will find at work when he arrives. Truly I tell you, he will put that one in charge of all his possessions. But if that slave says to himself, ‘My master is delayed in coming,’ and if he begins to beat the other slaves, men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk, the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour that he does not know, and will cut him in pieces, and put him with the unfaithful. That slave who knew what his master wanted, but did not prepare himself or do what was wanted, will receive a severe beating. But the one who did not know and did what deserved a beating will receive a light beating. From everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required; and from the one to whom much has been entrusted, even more will be demanded.”

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Dependence on God. Whether I achieve anything good in this world depends on God. God gives me the knowledge, the skills, the time, the opportunity and the support necessary for the achievement of good things. I accept this as fact. Indeed, as I type it here, I imagine my intellectual persona nodding sagely with furrowed brow, “Yes, Donna, that is so, everything good is from God. Yes, yes, yes.”
 

However, what I know to be true from an intellectual perspective is not always demonstrated in my behaviour. For it seems that, when I set out to achieve something good, the first person I am inclined to consult and depend upon is Donna Davis. I busily put together a plan, I work the plan, and I get a result. Everything from concept to final copy is my own creation. It is only when I hit a road block that I think, “This is not going well — I’d better check in with God.” Then I realize that the reason it is not going well is precisely that I have not been checking in with God.
 

The Gospel reminds me of a lesson I have been in the process of learning for years: I must be a vigilant servant. A vigilant servant keeps her eyes on the kingdom, her heart in the kingdom, her treasure at God’s disposal for the building of the kingdom – for it is God, not Donna, who knows what is in service of the kingdom. 


Therefore, I must discipline myself to check in with God regularly, from concept to final copy. It’s not enough for me to ask God to pop in and out simply to clear road blocks. The Gospel praises the servant who, when the householder arrives unexpectedly, already knows what the householder expects and is busy doing it.
 

God invites each of us to a daily meeting (preferably first thing in the morning) where He will deliver our instructions. I need to show up for that meeting, and what’s more I need to be present there, listening to God’s plans. That is the only way I will be assured of doing what God wants when He shows up unexpectedly — and I need to do that every day so that God doesn’t have to work hard to get my attention.
 

Lord, take from me the burden of following my own will and remind me to seek Your plan in all things. Motivate me to show up, humble and willing, to our daily meetings. Guide me as I carry out Your instructions, for it is in doing Your will that my treasure should lie.



Donna Davis

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