GOSPEL REFLECTION, WEDNESDAY, 29TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME, 21 OCTOBER 2026

Luke 12:39-48.  The long journey of Jesus and his disciples from Galilee to Jerusalem occupied the latter part of Jesus’ life.  Jesus knew what awaited him when they arrived.  There is an urgency to the intensive teaching he gives the crowds and to the disciples more privately.  Today’s gospel reading, a parable of the Kingdom, the very core of Jesus’ teaching, proclaims to his hearers, ‘be prepared,’ ‘be ready,’ for the coming of the Kingdom for all of us in its fullness, and for the coming of the Kingdom in each of your hearts, personally.

The coming of the Kingdom in its fulness, and our preparation for it as the People of God means the fullness of the arrival of our Lord King in glory, but it also entails judgement.  Jesus counsels us to be prepared, because if we are not, there are consequences.  That means for all of us and for each of us (see Lk 12:46-48)  we must be true disciples who understand ‘be prepared’ and ‘be ready’ as ‘being continually and always prepared.’  Being a disciple means being disciplined (the words are related), maintaining our religious and spiritual practice, and being continually aware as Christians of our relation to the Kingdom and acting accordingly.