ure to give you the kingdom."
They were urged to store their wealth in bags that wax not old,[931]
containers suited to the heavenly treasure which, unlike the goods of
the foolish rich man, shall not be left behind when the soul is
summoned. The man whose treasure is of earth leaves it all at death; he
whose wealth is in heaven goes to his own, and death is but the portal
to his treasury.

The disciples were admonished to be ever ready, waiting as servants wait
at night with lights burning, for their master's return; and, inasmuch
as the lord of the household comes at his will, in the early or later
watches, if when he comes he finds his faithful servants ready to open
immediately to his knock he will honor them as they deserve. So is the
Son of Man to come, perhaps when least expected. To a question
interjected by Peter as to whether "this parable" was spoken to the
Twelve only or to all, Jesus made no direct reply; the answer, however,
was conveyed in the continuation of the allegory of contrast between
faithful and wicked servants.[932] "Who then is that faithful and wise
steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them
their portion of meat in due season?" The faithful steward is a good
type of the apostles, individually or as a body. As stewards they were
charged with the care of the other servants, and of the household; and
as to them more had been given than to the others, so of them more would
be required; and they would be held to strict accountability for their
stewardship.

The Lord then referred feelingly to His own mission, and especially to
the dreadful experiences then soon to befall Him, saying: "I have a
baptism to be baptised with; and how am I straitened till it be
accomplished!" He told again of the strife and dissension that would
follow the preaching of His gospel, and dwelt upon the significance of
then current events. To those who, ever ready to interpret the signs of
the weather, yet remained wilfully blind to the important developments
of the times, He applied the caustic epithet, hypocrites![933]

"EXCEPT YE REPENT YE SHALL ALL LIKEWISE PERISH."[934]

Some of the people who had been listening to our Lord's discourse
reported to Him the circumstances of a tragical event that had taken
place, probably but a short time before, inside the temple walls. A
number of Galileans had been slain by Roman soldiers, at the base of the
altar, so that their blood had mingled wi