TUESDAY, TWENTY NINTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
Rom 5: 12, 15, 17-21; Ps 40: 7-10, 17; Lk 12: 35-38
VIGILANCE, A MEANS TO ETERNITY
In Jewish culture, the servants used to stand ready for their master throughout the night. Jesus is asking us too, to remain awake all the time. For what? Has not Jesus himself said, “In my Father’s house there are many rooms and I am going to prepare a place for you” After this, He will come to take us to that place which He has prepared for us. So, are we not supposed to be awake, when He comes to take us? It is our bounden duty towards our Saviour Jesus Christ, to obey what He says. He asks us to be vigilant for our good. Since man’s life on earth is a continual warfare, vigilance is necessary. We are created for God, and we must make every effort to be ready to return to heaven our true home, with the grace of God.
CCC 2849 says, “Such a battle and such victory become possible only prayer. It is by his prayer that Jesus vanquishes the tempter, both at the outset of his public mission and in the ultimate struggle of his agony. And lead us not into temptation, in this petition to our heavenly Father, Christ unites us to his battle and his agony. He urges us to vigilance of heart in communion with his own. Vigilance is custody of the heart, and Jesus prayed for us to the Father: ‘Keep them in your name.’ The Holy Spirit constantly seeks to awaken us to keep watch. Finally, this petition takes on all its dramatic meaning in relation to the last temptation of our earthly battle; it asks for final perseverance.”
In the first reading, we see that Paul stressing that the grace of Christ more than compensates for the damage done by Adam’s rebellion. Sin invaded the world through Adam, who allowed the temptations of his wife and the devil to overpower his commitment to God. Therefore, vigilance is necessary and with the grace of God, it will help us to run the race of life and bring us to eternal life, for our righteousness comes through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Response: The Lord remembers his covenant forever.
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