Aug 10 Sun
Should a Christian always be vigilant?
“Be like servants who await their master’s return from a wedding, ready to open immediately when he comes and knocks. Blessed are those servants whom the master finds vigilant on his arrival.” The uncertainty of the moment of our personal Judgment should lead us to live as true children of our Father god, fighting to avoid lukewarmness entering our lives.
We will meet Christ. This will occur either at Christ’s second coming, if we are alive then, or at the moment of our death, which we cannot foresee.
We must be prepared for this meeting. Without fear, because Christ is at our side.
Christ is giving us good news here. He is saying this returning master is pleased, like one returning home from a wedding, so happy that he will do the unimaginable, which is to serve his servants. On our part, we don’t want to do anything to disturb our master’s happiness by being “asleep” or unprepared.
Ours should be a vigilant love. Throughout the day, we must fulfill our duties; time is short, and the Lord may visit us at any moment.
Christ is warning us that He will return, and we should welcome this warning, just as we would be glad to know that a thief is coming at a certain time in the night so we can be prepared. To be prepared, we must examine our conscience daily, to rectify and begin again.
Like in a sports competition, we must aim higher every time because, in this race, the only goal is reaching the glory and happiness of heaven. If we do not grab it, nothing else would be worthwhile.
To “gird your loins” means to tie up your long, loose-fitting lower garments so you are prepared for physical work or even for battle. We are at work now building Christ’s kingdom and battling evil, especially in ourselves. If we are doing these things, we are ready to meet Christ at every moment. To be ready is to care for little things, like just washing some dishes, because it is our present duty.
Some prefer to leave it for later…Tomorrow, they say. That word might be prudence, occasionally, but more often is the excuse of losers. Where would we be if the Apostles had delayed the spreading of the Gospel “for later”? If they had waited “for more favorable circumstances”?
In this attitude of waiting, death would have taken over, and they would have appeared before God with empty hands. They would not have accomplished the reason for their divine calling. They would not have accomplished themselves.
How short is our time to grow in holiness…our time to love!
Being ready certainly means to remain in a state of grace, meaning to be free of mortal sin, and to return to a state of grace immediately through the Sacrament of Reconciliation if we should fail.
As good servants, we must rely on prayer and practice small mortifications to be attentive to God’s requests. Our Lord warned us. Servants will be rewarded or punished according to their merits.
Should a Christian always be vigilant?
“Be like servants who await their master’s return from a wedding, ready to open immediately when he comes and knocks. Blessed are those servants whom the master finds vigilant on his arrival.” The uncertainty of the moment of our personal Judgment should lead us to live as true children of our Father god, fighting to avoid lukewarmness entering our lives.
We will meet Christ. This will occur either at Christ’s second coming, if we are alive then, or at the moment of our death, which we cannot foresee.
We must be prepared for this meeting. Without fear, because Christ is at our side.
Christ is giving us good news here. He is saying this returning master is pleased, like one returning home from a wedding, so happy that he will do the unimaginable, which is to serve his servants. On our part, we don’t want to do anything to disturb our master’s happiness by being “asleep” or unprepared.
Ours should be a vigilant love. Throughout the day, we must fulfill our duties; time is short, and the Lord may visit us at any moment.
Christ is warning us that He will return, and we should welcome this warning, just as we would be glad to know that a thief is coming at a certain time in the night so we can be prepared. To be prepared, we must examine our conscience daily, to rectify and begin again.
Like in a sports competition, we must aim higher every time because, in this race, the only goal is reaching the glory and happiness of heaven. If we do not grab it, nothing else would be worthwhile.
To “gird your loins” means to tie up your long, loose-fitting lower garments so you are prepared for physical work or even for battle. We are at work now building Christ’s kingdom and battling evil, especially in ourselves. If we are doing these things, we are ready to meet Christ at every moment. To be ready is to care for little things, like just washing some dishes, because it is our present duty.
Some prefer to leave it for later…Tomorrow, they say. That word might be prudence, occasionally, but more often is the excuse of losers. Where would we be if the Apostles had delayed the spreading of the Gospel “for later”? If they had waited “for more favorable circumstances”?
In this attitude of waiting, death would have taken over, and they would have appeared before God with empty hands. They would not have accomplished the reason for their divine calling. They would not have accomplished themselves.
How short is our time to grow in holiness…our time to love!
Being ready certainly means to remain in a state of grace, meaning to be free of mortal sin, and to return to a state of grace immediately through the Sacrament of Reconciliation if we should fail.
As good servants, we must rely on prayer and practice small mortifications to be attentive to God’s requests. Our Lord warned us. Servants will be rewarded or punished according to their merits.