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Gospel: Luke 12:35-38
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.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
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At the time of Christ, the night was divided into three different parts – the first, the second, and the third watch.
Soldiers often took turns staying awake during these different “watches” to protect their land from thieves or invading armies.
The third watch of the night was inevitably the hardest, as it lasted from the darkest hours of the night until sunrise, roughly 2 – 6 am.
Staying awake demanded vigilance.
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That’s the same type of vigilance – or determination – that Jesus urges us to have in our spiritual lives, always being ready for his return.
Statistically speaking, it’s unlikely that Jesus will return to earth tonight; in fact, it’s been almost 750,000 days since he first promised to return!
But what would it look like for us to have our affairs in order? How could we prepare for Christ’s return as if he were coming tonight?
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First, we’d want to resolve all conflict; forgive wrongdoings; offer apologies where needed; and go to confession. Then we’d probably tell others we love them; thank those who’ve been good to us; or hug a friend.
“Blessed are those servants,” Jesus says, “whom the master finds vigilant on his arrival.” These are the ones guaranteed entrance into his kingdom.
Even if the Lord doesn’t return tonight, doing those things that tidy up our spirit – like healing and reconciliation – shows the Lord how seriously we take our faith; that we’re ready to embrace him whenever he decides to return.
Come, Lord Jesus.
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Image credits: (1) Ballardsville Baptist Church (2) Forward in Christ (3) What Christians Want to Know