Sic faciens| At work

"Blessed is that slave whom his master will find at work when he arrives. Truly I tell you, he will put that one in charge of all his possessions." -  Mt. 24: 46-47 (NRSV)

                                                       Photo by Quang Nguyen Vinh at Pexels.com

With regard to the second coming of Christ, we read "But about that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father."- Mt. 24:36. It is sure that Jesus is coming to Judge the world. Unlike humans, God is not limited by space and time. He can come at any hour according to his likeness.

The people who lived along with Jesus thought that He would come soon and take them to heaven. So, they were prepared to be judged. But as the days went by, the delay in the coming of Jesus made the people slowly lose their patience. They began to live their lives with less hope and less holiness. The attitude some people have is:  I have so much time, so just before my death I will repent. That won't work. In this context, the evangelist is reminding the people and encouraging them not to lose hope. So be ready at any time as long as you live on this earth.

"Blessed is that slave whom his master will find at work when he arrives. Truly I tell you, he will put that one in charge of all his possessions" - (Mt. 24: 46-47). Here it is not about physical labour but about the person who lives a life fulfilling the will of God. The person is also following the teachings of Jesus and glorifying God through his or her life.

We as Christians are called to live in hope and not in fear. When we live an authentic Christian life with full integrity, we have nothing to worry about or fear. It is also a fact that only God is holy and we as humans fall into temptation and sin. So, we ask for mercy and forgiveness from God in humility. Indeed, He forgives if we have true repentance. This is our confidence. This is our hope. The tomb is empty. We have a God who is alive and always accompanying us till we reach heaven or gain eternal life. Let us hold on to Jesus as we journey towards eternal life.

Reflection on Mt. 24:29-51 by Fr. George Joseph SVD

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