Thursday of 21st Week in Ordinary Time
1 Cor 1: 1-9; Mt 24: 42-51
By Deacon Larry Brockman
A call to vigilance! Because the Lord may come at any time. How true.
Last week, my wife had major surgery, some 4 hours long. Many folks were praying for her- and we were most grateful because everyone understood that the operation could be life threatening. She planned for it by having the Sacrament of the Sick before the operation. That gave her a certain peace of mind that she was prepared, as indeed it should.
But the reality is that all of us are vulnerable all the time, not just when we face a crisis. As I drove each day back and forth to the hospital, especially in rush hour traffic, I encountered many crazy drivers. And I suppose that in my frame of mind, I might have been one of the craziest. It wouldn’t have taken much to become one of the highway statistics.
And so, the thought occurred to me Was I ready? Was I prepared? I certainly wasn’t off eating and drinking, or beating the servants like the steward in the parable. But I was preoccupied, and maybe not as vigilant as the Lord was suggesting.
What makes us prepared for God’s visit at any and all times? Well, Paul gives us a hint in his message to the Corinthians. There he compliments the Corinthians for being responsive to their call; for their Faith in the message of Jesus Christ; for acting on the Grace that had been conferred on them as a result; and for being rich in “spiritual gifts”. That’s what we all need to do too- to have faith, act on it, and to use the spiritual gifts that we have.
Then, we will be ready at any and all times for the coming of the Lord.
