I expect I am not alone in saying that, if I am truly honest with myself, I sometimes look at God as the provider of “good things”. That sentiment is expressed in the responsorial psalm where we hear: “[…] steadfast is his kindness toward us, and the fidelity of the LORD endures forever.”
Who would not want to focus on that? If the fidelity of the Lord endures forever, and his kindness toward us is steadfast, then surely he wants the best for us. He wants us to be happy. And we can call upon him in our need. And all that is true!
But the relationship between God and man is not one where God serves us. He is Almighty God. He is the creator; we are the created. Let us not forget that.
God is also our Father. Through the Paschal Sacrifice of Jesus Christ, we share in the divine Sonship. That is a blessing beyond compare. But as we heard Jesus teach his disciples a few weeks ago: “Much will be required of the person entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more.” If we receive a share in the divine life through the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus, I think it is fair to say that we have been entrusted with “more.” A lot more. So let us not forget that a lot will be demanded of us.
Last week, we heard the first part of this. There will be division. Living our faith will cause conflict, division, and sometimes even rejection. But we cannot compromise our faith. There is no way to “kind of” believe in God. There is no way to “kind of” living the Christian faith.
This week, Jesus explains why we need to be firm in our faith. There will come a time when the master will lock the door, and he will not admit anyone beyond that time. This is the day of judgment. And we already learnt weeks ago that this will happen at an unknown day and time. If we are lukewarm about our faith, and act as the servant who sees his master is delayed, and puts his focus on having a good time, we will be caught unaware. And the consequences are dire.
Let us rejoice that Almighty God is our Father, and that because of our share in the divine Sonship, God treats us as “sons”. As St. Paul writes: “[…] what “son” is there whom his father does not discipline? At the time, all discipline seems a cause not for joy but for pain, yet later it brings the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who are trained by it.” God the Father helps us lovingly, as a father would, to prepare us. Because He wants “people […] from the east and the west and from the north and the south […] recline at table in the kingdom of God.” He does not want us to be cast out – locked out when the Master locks the door.
Our faith is likely to lead to trials and hardships. God is with us, and as a Father, he lovingly instructs us and guides us, to strengthen us, so that when the time comes, we can be faithful and prudent servants, blessed by our Father in Heaven, reclined at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God.