YOU MUST BE READY…

1 Thessalonians 3:7-13

7 for this reason, brethren, in all our distress and affliction we have been comforted about you through your faith;
8 for now we live, if you stand fast in the Lord.9 For what thanksgiving can we render to God for you, for all the joy which we feel for your sake before our God,
10 praying earnestly night and day that we may see you face to face and supply what is lacking in your faith?11 Now may our God and Father himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our way to you; 12 and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all men, as we do to you,13 so that he may establish your hearts unblamable in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.

Matthew 24:42-51

42 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.

 
MEDITATION

THE FIRST READING: Paul’s epistle takes the form of a prayer from him a bishop of the Church who seeks to strengthen and uplift the faith of the Thessalonica community. Paul is determined to ensure the success of the community such that he cannot offer enough Thanksgivings (The Holy Eucharist) to God, to supply that which is lacking in their faith.Most importantly Paul desire that the love relationship between the people shall grow so they may be free from guilt and in a state of holiness in preparation for the coming of Christ Jesus.

THE GOSPEL READING: Jesus seeks to warn the leadership of the Church to not have a could not care less attitude about their faith and spiritual responsibility. By using the imagery of a thief who stealthily under cover of darkness commit their crimes when their victims are asleep, Jesus attempt to alert our leaders and us of the possibility that we may end up in a place of eternal punishment if we are ill prepared for His return. 

All of us suffer from a lackadaisy disposition whereby we do not even commit to our own promises nevermind to promises made to others. We have a penchant to be negligent with a could not care less attitude by being late for an appointment and to not do what we have sworn to accomplish or deliver. These kinds of misdemeanors can rightly be described as lies! As it were, we the laity who need to be in a state of grace and holiness to receive our Lord, are put on notice to be ready for Christs return! Moreover our teachers and spiritual leaders who are responsible to give us “the food at the proper time:”meaning the Sacred Sacraments that nourishes, heals and absolves us from our sin, are also forewarned that they be ready so that God’s favor may be upon all of us when the Son of man return to judge us! 

LET US PRAY:Psalms 90:3-5,12-14,17

3 Thou turnest man back to the dust, and sayest, “Turn back, O children of men!”4 For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, or as a watch in the night.5 Thou dost sweep men away; they are like a dream, like grass which is renewed in the morning:

12 So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.
13 Return, O LORD! How long? Have pity on thy servants!14 Satisfy us in the morning with thy steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. 17 Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish thou the work of our hands upon us, yea, the work of our hands establish thou it.

Author. Henry R SYLVESTER Note: The daily scripture readings are taken from the Roman Missal which the Catholic Church use in the daily Celebration of the Holy Eucharist throughout the world.Some weekly readings may differ because of the celebration of local feast days.