GOD’S WORD FOR THE DAY (based on Catholic Liturgical Readings)
DATE: 25TH AUGUST 2016
THURSDAY OF THE 21ST WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
1ST READING: 1Corinthians 1:1-9
PSALM: Psalm 145:2-7
GOSPEL: Matthew 24:42-51
THEME: KEEP READY
A story is told of a handful of scoffers who chose to taunt a Christian lady who was busy shopping at the grocery. They said to her, “We hear your Saviour is going to come soon.” “Certainly”, the lady responded. “Well, hurry. Get home and get ready; we just got news that he is arriving any moment from now”, they said. In response, she said, “I don’t have to get ready… I keep ready.” To keep ready means to be in a state of “already-prepared.”
In our Gospel text for today, Jesus illustrates his Coming with two parables – the parable of a thief who breaks in without notice and the parable of the faithful/unfaithful servant. The first parable points to the fact that the coming of the Son of Man will happen unexpectedly and the second emphasises the need to be ready anytime, any day.
The challenge that many of us Christians face in our journey of faith is that we do more of momentary preparation than continuous preparation in our quest to encounter the Lord. For example, a person actively participates in a three-day revival or weeklong retreat. After that momentary period of prayer, the person goes back to his/her old way of life, waiting for another revival or retreat to get prepared for the Lord again. In between one retreat and another retreat, we often make ourselves spiritually vulnerable by indulging ourselves in activities that weaken us spiritually.
The Gospel text for today challenges us to be ever-ready to meet the Lord. We are called upon to live our lives in constant expectation that Christ will come to us any time of the day. A person who keeps ready is one who is constantly alive in the Lord. It is a life of constant and consistent prayer, sharing of one’s gifts and talents with others and selfless service to those in need. It is a way of life. Such a person is reliable and full of faith (faithfulness), and will always find favour with God in time and in eternity.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, as a night watchman longs for daybreak, so my soul longs for you. My heart is ready. Come Lord Jesus. Amen.
Andrews Obeng, svd
DIVINE WORD MISSIONARIES
BIBLICAL PASTORAL MINISTRY
(Ghana Province)
“May the darkness of sin and the night of unbelief vanish before the light of the Word and the Spirit of grace. And may the heart of Jesus live in the hearts of all people” (St. Arnold Janssen).