In today’s Gospel Our Lord starts to shift to encouraging his disciples regarding his return at the end of time: the “wedding” of the Lamb is fulfilled in Heaven after his Ascension. He exhorts them to vigilance: ready to serve at any time, and under any conditions, day or night (hence the lamp), at home or travelling (hence girded for a trip). He tells them his return could be quick or be long, but that they should be ready, whether late at night or early in the morning.
He also describes how pleased he’d be to find them ready: can you imagine someone after a long trip making his servants sit down and waiting on them instead of the other way around? That shows even he considers himself the servant-in-chief. He wants his servants to share in the joy of a job well done.
Our Lord will return at the end of time, but for each of us, at the end of our life, we can expect an encounter with him as well. Ask yourself today how you’d react if Our Lord showed up right now on your doorstep. Is there anything to which you should have attended, but haven’t? Are you excited at the thought of his return? Persevere in hope and trust.
Readings: Romans 5:12, 15b, 17–19, 20b–21; Psalm 40:7–10, 17; Luke 12:35–38.