Readings for Tuesday October 20, 2009
First Reading: Romans 5:12,15,17-19,20-21
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 40
Gospel: Luke 12:35-38
Jesus said to his disciples: “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. Amen, I say to you, he will gird himself, have them recline at table, and proceed to wait on them. And should he come in the second or third watch and find them prepared in this way, blessed are those servants.” (Lk 12:35-38)
Do you ever get distracted? Have you ever been given an assignment (perhaps at work, school, or home) begun the job but then got distracted and began doing something else? I can tell you that I get distracted all the time, and I know that it is something that can happen to us quite easily. While we may typically only think of distraction affecting us at work, school, or home; but distraction also affects us in our faith lives as well.
Today, Jesus tells us to make sure that we are staying vigilant until the master comes. This is a clear message to each of us that we must stay focused and not get distracted in our faith lives. While, you may or may not know this; we have a purpose in this life and it is to live the life that God wants us to and then join Him in heaven one day. But so many things in the world try to distract us from this purpose. Not only do we have worldly people and things helping to distract us, but we also have the enemy trying to lead us away from God and His perfect will for us.
It can certainly be hard to not get distracted in this life, especially when things are so hectic and busy. One of the reasons that we become distracted is because we have lost focus on our task, on our purpose. We must remember that we do need to be working diligently in this life, until the end. We do need to be not only living out our purpose, but also helping others to live out their purpose as well. I believe that if we can stay focused on our purpose, and never lose sight of what is truly important, then we will be like the blessed servants who worked vigilantly until their masters return and earning a great reward.
Father above, we thank you and praise you for the gift of this day. Lord, you thank you and praise you for all that you give and for all that you bless us with. Lord you alone know what is right and good for us, help us to form our will to yours and to seek only what you want for us. Lord we thank you for your love and mercy, and pray that we can love as you love and be merciful as you are merciful. We ask this all through Christ our Lord. Amen.
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Ah, Distraction! Yes, I get distracted, too. I have come to think of my life from ages 14-27 as very very distracted years in matters of my faith. Even now, I can get distracted, but I am encouraged that my children help to keep me more focused than I think I would be without them. Something about how if someone leads a child of God astray, it would be better to have a millstone tied around his neck and thrown in the sea...something like that...keeps you focused. ;)
ReplyDeleteThis particular reading about how we must remain vigilant awaiting our master is always one of those where I listen and then say, "Ugh, I really need to get back to praying my Rosary every day" or something like that...but then, another distraction comes along...