Wednesday of the Twenty-ninth Week in Ordinary Time
In my recent book club our discussion found its way to the idea of integrity – doing the right thing because it is simply the right thing to do. Some say that this can be defined as doing the right thing when no one else is watching. Today’s Gospel reading makes me think of this same idea. Luke talks about the master who goes away and leaves his servant in charge. Even though the master is gone and cannot see what the servant is doing, he expects that the servant is following the master’s expectations and direction. He expects his servant to be a person of integrity.
I think that this message was not meant only for the disciples and did not only apply to servants and masters. This same message echoes true for us as well. We must be people of integrity – people who choose to live like disciples both when visible to others and when we are alone. Whether it is in our quiet, simple moments or our public displays, we are called to be disciples of integrity – disciples who choose to follow the lord no matter the circumstances.
Just as the servant does not know when the master will return, we do not know when our moment of judgment will be either. We know not the day or the hour of our last breath. This being known, we are called to live every moment as a reflection of God’s love and goodness. Will we mess up? Yes, we will make mistakes – we are human after all, but that is what the beautiful gift of the sacraments are for. We can take our human failings to the sacrament of confession and ask for God’s forgiveness. This is another sign of integrity – to admit when you have messed up and take accountability for your actions and the consequences.
Today’s Gospel calls us to be disciples of integrity. We are called to be disciples who mean what they say and say what they mean; disciples who are honest, upright and righteous. Lord, we ask for your help today. Help us to live your call with peace, with calm and with utmost integrity. Amen.
—AJ Grimm