Luke 12:48 (Catholics Only)

“The servant who knows the master’s will and does not get ready or does not do what the master wants will be beaten with many blows. 48 But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.

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The Collegeville Bible Commentary made a brief reference in it's passage on Luke 12:35-48, all of which relates to the "Master's return" (Second Coming, or the day of our death, whichever comes first - more likely our own death).

It states "... The answer to Peter's question (v. 41) directs the discourse towards the Christian leaders especially. The care of what has been entrusted foreshadows the parable of the sums of money (19:11-27- the parable of the talents). The sayings on the distributionof responsibilities are clearly pertinent for those in authority, but they have a wider application for all on whom spiritual and temporal gifts have been bestowed".

Christ said that we all should be doing what we think God wants us to do. We have all been given some spiritual and temporal gifts, and God wants us to use them. We will be judged on that use. Whether Christ was referring to Hell ("many blows?") or Purgatory ("few blows?") I don't know. What it does say is that we're expected to use what we have been given, whether it is a lot or a little.

As my old pastor used to say, "Judgement begins with the Church".