Not if, but when

Readings for Thursday August 27, 2009

Memorial of Saint Monica

First Reading: 1 Thessalonians 3:7-13
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm
Gospel: Matthew 24:42-51


Jesus said to his disciples: “Stay awake! For you do not know on which day your Lord will come. Be sure of this: if the master of the house had known the hour of night when the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and not let his house be broken into. So too, you also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come. (Matt. 24:42-44)

I remember as a kid, I would often be told to go and clean my room. However, upon checking in on my progress, my mom would often find me not doing what I was originally told to do, but rather playing with my toys instead. It wasn't that I didn't start off trying to clean, it was just that I got distracted. Those toys on the floor just looked too tempting, like they were just begging to be played with. Now as you can guess, my mom was not too happy each time she found me like this. This is understandable that she was mad, it was because I was not doing the job that I had originally been given to do, I wasn't keeping focused on the task at hand.

In today's gospel, Jesus also warns us of being prepared for the time when He comes back. Of course we do not know this time, for if we did then we would all be prepared for this. The fact is that we do not know when He is coming back, and until He does we each have a purpose and a job to do while here on earth. We are each here to know, love, and serve God and to try and get to heaven. What we do here on earth matters, and we need to be constantly asking God for direction and guidance in our lives. We need to always be seeking His will, instead of our own will. If we are always doing this and standing strong in the faith, then we will be prepared for the time when Jesus comes back to judge the living and the dead.

We must remember it is not a question of if Jesus is coming back or not, but rather a question of when. When Christ comes, what will He find you doing?

Father above, we thank you and praise you for the gift of this day. Lord help us to stand strong in our faith and to follow you without hesitation. Lord, you alone know the true purpose of each of our lives and you are the way to eternal life in heaven, help us to open ourselves to your will and your way. Lord we pray for all of our priests, deacons, and religious, that they may remain strong in their ministries and in their vows. We ask this all through Christ our Lord. Amen.