THE WORD BECAME FLESH

Tuesday of 29^th week in Ordinary time, 2021

Rom 5: 12, 15b, 17-19, 20b-21

Ps 40

Luke 12: 35-38

Your lamps burning

Dear friends in Christ, Jesus brings together images that evoke readiness for life saving actions to get the disciples to think deeply of the life they have been called to. ‘Girded loins’ as for those ready to depart Egypt after the Passover meal; ‘burning lamps’, as a reminder of the Pillar of fire; ‘staying awake’ like the sentry keeping watch over the city to prevent enemy intrusion. This is the readiness of discipleship.

In the first reading, Paul turns his attention to the redemption won for us by the sacrifice of Jesus, in contrast to the death that the disobedience of Adam brought upon mankind. According to Paul, “If because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.” By the fact of the sin of Adam, Paul says, grace abounds and by implication, “Where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

In the gospel Jesus instructs the disciples to be like men who are waiting for the arrival of their master. In any home with servants, they are usually at alert waiting to make sure that the master does not return to find them not ready. A disciple must approach the second coming of the Lord with all the seriousness it demands. With ‘girded loins and lamps it’—this expression symbolises the sort of good works that must characterise the time of waiting. It must not be an idle wait but an active waiting for the coming of the Lord. Jesus describes what the reward for an active wait looks like. “Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes, truly I say to you, he will put on his apron and have them sit at table, and he will come and serve them.” This is obviously not the usual situation where the servant may at the most receive a praise from the master. Jesus brings something new to it, he will serve the faithful disciples in the kingdom. The wait may be long, as long as the third watch almost into the morning hours but the reward is just as great to have the master take the role of the servant. Jesus gave a practical example when at the last supper he washed the feet of his disciples. We are not in doubt that he will do what he promised. Are you ready for him?

Let us pray: O God, give us the patience and grace to wait for the coming of our Lord in his glory and so share the eternal reward. Amen.

+Remain blessed