Are you Watching?

Today’s Gospel Text: Watch therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. 43 But know this, that if the householder had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have watched and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 Therefore you also must be ready; for the Son of man is coming at an hour you do not expect. 45 "Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time? 46 Blessed is that servant whom his master when he comes will find so doing. 47 Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions. 48 But if that wicked servant says to himself, 'My master is delayed,' 49 and begins to beat his fellow servants, and eats and drinks with the drunken, 50 the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, 51 and will punish him, and put him with the hypocrites; there men will weep and gnash their teeth. Matt 24:42-51

Reflection: Many centuries have passed since this has been recorded in the scriptures about the immediate coming of the Lord.

Are we being fooled by this word of scripture generation after generation, only to find that the Lord is never coming.

Shall we say; what a pity, countless number of people follow this Lord who has fooled them into believing his imminent coming and he has not come.

If we can say further; why do the preachers preach on this subject and what message do they preach?

If one reads the key message in this statement, then the most important point that Jesus communicates is that of always being ready and never lagging behind to receive the Lord.

Whether the Lord’s coming is imminent or not is not the primary message, the primary message is that the Christian life is to be lived in every possible way in all alertness, as if he is coming now.

In the process he has invited us not to focus on the enemy who is never coming, because the enemy is always there.  

Which would be better?

• The Lord warning his disciples to be always alert and watchful, because the enemy, Satan and all his minions are in and around you to devour you completely, so stay alert in my presence, watch and pray.                                                          

                                                                             OR 

• Watch therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the householder had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have watched and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready; for the Son of man is coming at an hour you do not expect. (vss. 42-44)

The early Christians, who showed much zeal, always learnt to wait on the Lord. They waited especially in vigil for the Lord's coming on a saturday evening to await his coming. 

Prayer: Lord, may I always be found watching in prayer, each day and every moment.

DD = Dedicated Discipleship:  Come grow in the Lord with us

Daily Waiting on the Holy Spirit

Scripture: Then shall the kingdom of heaven be like to ten virgins, who taking their lamps went out to meet the bridegroom and the bride.2 And five of them were foolish, and five wise.3 But the five foolish, having taken their lamps, did not take oil with them: 4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with the lamps. Matt 25:1-4 Douay-Rheims

Reflection:  One of the fascinating ceremonies in an Indian culture is the breaking of the coconut to inaugurate an occasion.  The loud noise of the breaking of the shell may be one factor but the other is the virginity of the coconut that is untouched because of the hard shell that surrounds it.  Purity and virginity is greatly celebrated by many cultures and religious traditions.

It is not enough to be a virgin or pure to enter into the bridegroom’s glory. What is required is a lamp with an additional flask of oil to keep it going.  In other words it is achieved by preparing ourselves to wait and carrying the necessary accessories of waiting.

Just like a vessel that receives water so also we are called to be a lamp to carry the oil of the Holy Spirit that God pours into our hearts.  And just like a big vessel that demands that we wait patiently in order to be filled so also we are called to that big flask waiting for that oil of the Holy Spirit to be filled in ourselves. Patient endurance and waiting in prayer is the beginning and key.

You are not going to meet the bridegroom straight away. You are going to prepare yourself to meet the bridegroom and thus will end up really meeting the bridegroom. This is so because the bridegroom has opted to delay himself thus giving enough room, time and space, in all patience, so that we have all the time in the world to prepare ourselves to receive him.   

Prayer:  May we find ourselves watching and waiting in prayer each time we sit at your feet Lord Jesus.

DD = Dedicated Discipleship:  Come grow in the Lord with us