The Word God Spells

Luke 12: 35-38
Rom 5:12.15.17-19.20-21 / Ps 40

Gird your loins and light your lamps and 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.
(Luke 12:35-36)

Vigilance means being ready
To serve the Lord God with gladness,
To seize the opportunity
And always strive for righteousness.

Jesus said, “Gird your loins (be ready for action) and light your lamps; be like those who are waiting for their master’s return from a wedding, ready to open the door for him as soon as he comes and knocks. Blessed are those servants whom the master finds alert when he comes; truly I tell you, he will fasten his belt and have them sit down to eat, and he will come and serve them. If he comes during the middle of the night, or near dawn, and finds them prepared, blessed are those servants.”

Some of us thought we were prudent when we prepared for the future by diligently building up our businesses or careers, securing educational plans for our children, getting insurance protection, and setting aside money for emergencies. However, in the process of accumulating such ‘financial and material buffers’, unfortunately many of us neglected our health conditions, or worse, our family relationships, especially our marriage. Now in our ‘golden years’ we come to realize that being prepared financially is not enough if we have neglected fitness, family, and most of all, faith.

Reflection

The most important thing in life is to be vigilant spiritually. How do we know that we are spiritually prepared? When we make prayers a constant habit: upon waking up, before meals, the noon hour, the 3 o’clock Divine Mercy minute, the Angelus at 6, before bed. By making God’s Word (the Bible) a daily routine. By receiving Jesus in the Holy Eucharist of the Mass not only during Sundays. By associating with like-minded, Spirit-led Christians who also put a premium on being spiritually prepared.

Be Prepared all the time. To lend a helping hand, rather than be turned off by other people’s problems. To respond with gentle words, rather than let our emotions make worse an already bad situation. To be humble in victory, and maintain composure in defeat. To steer clear when temptations come along, but resolutely strive onward when the good is at stake. To evangelize anytime, anywhere, ‘anything that moves’.

Our Lord reminds us in today’s Gospel that we do not know the time or the hour when our time will come to leave this life. That’s why we must always be ready to go – bags packed, all our affairs in order. Anytime . . . you never know.

When the final hour in my life arrives, may I be prepared to meet You, Lord. Amen.