Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time: Luke 12:32-48
In the parable of the watchful servant, Jesus encourages His disciples to be vigilant and ready for action as they wait for the coming of the Master. Being watchful and vigilant means we must be well-prepared in our daily lives, being faithful to ourselves, our family, and our friends. If we are not watchful and vigilant, if we are careless in fulfilling our daily tasks, and if we are not taking protection to know what is morally right and live accordingly, then the thief of the devil will find an easy entrance into our hearts and not only steal our treasures but leave behind our lives in shambles.
The battle and victory over the evil thief are possible only through our personal prayer and intimate relationships with Jesus. The Holy Spirit constantly seeks to awaken us to keep watch, to do what we are called to do with love. Let us totally surrender to the Holy Spirit and ask for the help and guidance to lead us to God’s ways.
Let me share with you a small story: A wealthy young man lived in a large house. Every day, he woke up very late, took breakfast, and then went to bed again. After lunch, he went to bed again. He had a parrot, and she watched this lazy fellow, finding him confusing. One day, the parrot asked him, “Don’t you get tired of lying in bed all day and night, and why don’t you do some work? Why are you so lazy?” The young man answered, “Every morning, when I wake up, two friends whisper in my ears. One friend is hardworking, and the other friend is lazy. The hard work says, Wake up! There is a lot of work to do today. Time is passing by, and time will not wait for us; don’t waste your time by sleeping all day.” But laziness says to me, “Why should you work while there are others to work for you? You have lots of time to work, and you can start to work tomorrow.” The young man continued by saying, “I listen patiently to both my friends, but I was always thinking I could start to do some work tomorrow, and tomorrow, so I kept lying in bed for a long time.”
The moral message of the story is that mere talking does not help; instead, we should get up and work hard. Time is running out and will not wait for us, and we don’t know anything about tomorrow or the next moment. If we are living an easy life, it does not last; it can create laziness and hurt our lives. Saint Pope John Paul II says that, “The future starts today, not tomorrow.” This is a powerful spiritual reflection on the importance of living in the present moment and taking action now to shape our destiny. Our lives are meant to be challenging, and we are meant to take risks; we need to stay prepared, work hard, and not allow ourselves to lose the disciplines we have learned!
During the World Youth Day celebrations in Poland, the late Pope Francis spoke to the more than one million young people, “Take risks and do not allow life’s obstacles to get in the way of encountering the true joy and life that Jesus can give. Do not be afraid to say, “Yes” to the Lord with all your heart, to respond generously, and to follow Jesus. Don’t let your soul grow numb, but aim for the goal of a beautiful love, which also demands total sacrifice.”
Pope Francis continued his address by warning the pilgrims to not fall into a “paralysis that comes from confusing happiness with a “sofa.” The “sofa happiness” that promises comfort, safety, and relaxation that makes young men and women become “dull and drowsy.” So, we have to come out from the “sofa happiness” and face the reality of our daily lives. Before concluding the Mass, the pope invited the young people to carry the “spiritual breath of fresh air” back to your countries and communities and “wherever God’s providence leads you.”
Our ultimate goal is to reach the heavenly kingdom, which is based on how we live our lives here on earth. Let us live each day as our last day and live each day in a more meaningful and fruitful way, and totally concentrate and focus on God. Each day is a blessing! Life is a beautiful gift, and we are called to share the gift of life by loving and serving others. Let us learn to live our lives for eternity by choosing that which is good here and now and doing what is right. So, stay awake and be ready! For we do not know on what day the Son of Man will arrive!
Saint Mother Teresa says that watchfulness means- “A call to be consciously and continuously aware of God’s presence, attentive to His voice, and faithful in showing love and compassion through acts of service to the poor and suffering people.”