By the time his gospel was available, Luke was writing to the grandchildren of those who physically saw Jesus.   

The enthusiasm and the expectation of their grandfathers and fathers must have faded away, replaced by lukewarm piety, resignation, aloofness, and a matter-of-fact attitude, which covered all areas of their life. 

Thus, inspired by the Holy Spirit, Luke set out to rekindle in them the original faith and trust of their forefathers.  In his gospel, Luke pointed out repeatedly that Jesus came to serve and to give his life in ransom for all people.   

He was among his disciple as the most insignificant slave…He had washed his disciples’ feet, therefore, as he said in Luke 22:27: “I am among you as the one who serves.   

He had served his disciples with his teachings, his example, his healing touch and, most importantly, by showing them how to live with unfading hope and how “to die” for one’s friends.  

But Luke’s congregation had already forgotten most of it…They had also forgotten how patiently, as the 1st reading indicates, their ancestors waited for the salvation of the just and the destruction of their foes. (Wisdom 18:7) 

Jesus waited 30 years in silence and obscurity before his service began. 

His teaching about being vigilant, attentive servants are placed by Luke just after the stories of Martha, who was anxious about many things, instead of being anxious about the gifts that God had in store for her as Mary had done. (two Sundays ago)   

They are found also after the story of the foolish rich man who was anxious about piling up more earthly goods instead of piling up treasures of loving concern and care for his eternal life. (last Sunday) 

Today, Jesus is saying to us all: “If you want to be anxious, be anxious about God’s judgement on your performance as a servant; be anxious about vigilance, attentiveness and the availability of your service”. 

Thus, we have reasons to be concerned here.   

Unlike our ancestors, unlike Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Jacob, we have sudden bursts of enthusiasm followed by at least partial disengagement.   

We have times of intense caring, followed by quasi-indifference.   

We dream of a much brighter future for us and for the people around us, then we turn cynical and distant. 

The trouble lies with the length of time…Apparently, we cannot keep up our hope, our attentiveness, our caring, our vigilance, and our dedication until the Lord comes again.   

The proclamation of the mystery of faith after the consecration of the bread and wine: We proclaim your Death, O Lord, and profess your resurrection Until the Lord comes again, means until the TOTAL CHRIST, Head and members, is served with constant, tender, loving care; until everyone is free from anguish, pain and sorrow; until love has conquered the last traces of selfishness and indifference; until God’s Kingdom is perfected. 

Whenever need arises, we ought to be ready to pull up “our long tunics of piety and spirituality” to be svelte and prompt in the service of our neighbor.   

The lamp of our faith and trust in the Lord must be always bright enough for us to be directed to wherever someone needs our loving concern.   

They must also be burning ready because it is faith that enables us to see the Lord in the less fortunate, the lowly, the sorrowing, the needy, the least of his suffering members.  

The Lord is about to give us a stirring example of his disposition as servant; he will feed us his own flesh to eat; he will do it for a twofold purpose: as the key to prompt, loving and joyous service of each other, and as the key to entering his eternal Kingdom. 

Hence, since our Heavenly Father wants all of us to be reunited around the wedding table at the Supper of the Lamb, we shall pray for each other in earnest so that no one may be left out. 

And we shall approach this eucharistic table with eagerness to acquire the Lord’s inner disposition to prompt, loving and joyous service and to fill our hearts with unwavering hope of what awaits all faithful servants in heaven.