The WORD today reminds me that I should always be ready to meet God.
It’s ironic that all of us want to go to heaven, but we don’t want to talk about death. We don't want to die. However, death is real, and everyone will have do experience it to go to heaven. That is why it is important to prepare for it while we are still alive.
Gird you loins and light your lamps.
In the gospel, Jesus said that the servants should gird their loins and light their lamp. Girding the loin in those days meant to be ready for battle, or to simply be ready. And a servant who has a lighted lamp as he waits for the master’s return means that servant is ready, and awake. That’s how we should be. That’s how we should live our lives. Ready. Ready to meet him.
How can we be ready?
We do a lot of things. We pray, that’s good. We go to mass on Sundays (mostly virtual since last year) and if we have time, probably more than once a week. We read the bible. We confess if we can. We help others with what we have especially this pandemic. Yes, those are good things. Those are helpful things in preparing. But I believe those are not enough. Merely praying is not enough. Everyone can pray, even the scribes and Pharisees during Jesus time, but simple praying doesn’t guarantee salvation. We can pray with our hearts closed and far from God. Merely hearing mass is not enough too. We can be at mass, everyday, but not participate and be distracted with other things, other people. If we are in mass but our lives are not consistent with Christ’s, then it is not enough. We can read the bible, but if we read it using our minds, using intellect, and not the heart, then it is not enough. We can do good things, but if we do it to show off, then we already got our reward.
What we need to be prepared is simple – a surrendered heart.
A surrendered heart to Christ. As we surrender our hearts to Him, our motives are purified. Our actions will be sanctified. Our prayers will be aligned to his. our prayers will be to happen what God wants in our lives. When we hear mass, we fully participate and allow God to mold us, and to enter our lives especially as we receive the Eucharist, even if spiritual lately. We allow him to consume us. We read the bible with an open heart, asking to reveal to us his messages everyday. And as we do good works, we don’t mind if no one recognizes us, because we do it to show love to God through others
May we be challenged and prepare to be ready to meet God when he calls us.
Father God,
Thank you for today. thank you for giving me another day to live. Thank you for the reminder. Thank you for another opportunity to prepare my life as the day I will meet you draws nearer. Lord, sorry for the times I forget this. Sorry for not giving this the attention it deserves. Sorry for being lazy and complacent. I ask that you help me surrender my heart to you. help me surrender my life, little by little, day by day. I ask that as I do so, you help me purify my thoughts, actions and motives. Help me live right so I will always be prepared. Amen.
Blessed Day!
In Christ,
-g-
Memorial of Saints John de Brébeuf and Isaac Jogues, Priests, and Companions, Martyrs
Lectionary: 474
Brothers and sisters:
Through one man sin entered the world,
and through sin, death,
and thus death came to all men, inasmuch as all sinned.
If by that one person’s transgression the many died,
how much more did the grace of God
and the gracious gift of the one man Jesus Christ
overflow for the many.
For if, by the transgression of the one,
death came to reign through that one,
how much more will those who receive the abundance of grace
and the gift of justification
come to reign in life through the one Jesus Christ.
In conclusion, just as through one transgression
condemnation came upon all,
so, through one righteous act
acquittal and life came to all.
For just as through the disobedience of one man
the many were made sinners,
so, through the obedience of the one
the many will be made righteous.
Where sin increased, grace overflowed all the more,
so that, as sin reigned in death,
grace also might reign through justification
for eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
R. (8a and 9a) Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
Sacrifice or oblation you wished not,
but ears open to obedience you gave me.
Burnt offerings or sinofferings you sought not;
then said I, “Behold I come.”
R. Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
“In the written scroll it is prescribed for me,
To do your will, O my God, is my delight,
and your law is within my heart!”
R. Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
I announced your justice in the vast assembly;
I did not restrain my lips, as you, O LORD, know.
R. Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
May all who seek you
exult and be glad in you,
And may those who love your salvation
say ever, “The LORD be glorified.”
R. Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Be vigilant at all times and pray
that you may have the strength to stand before the Son of Man.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
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.”
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