Recognizing the Lord

Gospel: Luke 12: 35-38

It would be unheard of in ancient times as well as our own for a Master to wait hand and foot on his servants upon arriving home from a long journey.  To the contrary, regardless of when in day or night the Master returned, it would be the expectation that the servants would all be at the ready to serve the Master's every need.  But in today's Gospel story, the exact reverse takes place.

Here, we are dealing with the kingdom of heaven, not earthly realms.  Here, we are dealing with the Lord Jesus, who came to serve, not to be served.  Here, the servants are at the ready because they have not ceased serving one another while the Master was away.  They are ready to serve at all times because the Master has not left.  He has just been among them in the presence of other people, for in serving others we serve the Lord.  

It is in this way that we can recognize authentic disciples of the Lord as well as the Lord himself when he comes a final time.  It is by loving service through deeds of mercy that we recognize the Lord and his followers, always ready to serve the hungry, thirsty, homeless, naked, sick, imprisoned, stranger among us.