Luke 12:39-48 NRSVue

³⁹“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. ⁴⁰You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”

⁴¹Peter said, “Lord, are you telling this parable for us or for everyone?” ⁴²And 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? ⁴³Blessed is that slave whom his master will find at work when he arrives. ⁴⁴Truly I tell you, he will put that one in charge of all his possessions. ⁴⁵But if that slave says to himself, ‘My master is delayed in coming,’ and begins to beat the other slaves, men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk, ⁴⁶the 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. ⁴⁷That slave who knew what his master wanted but did not prepare himself or do what was wanted will receive a severe beating. ⁴⁸But 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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Some thoughts on this scripture

Reflection
Prayer times are our moments of being ready - in common worship, personal prayer time, casual moments. The Lord can touch our lives with a mood of peace, a challenge or a word of the Scripture at any time. Openness to God is the fruit of prayer, and requires little human competence. Prayer is God's gift to us and God's work within us.