‘Stay awake, because you do not know the day when your master is coming.’ The year is slowly drawing to a close what have done to build God’s Kingdom? How have we served our brethren entrusted to us as stewards of His?
This year alone I have had two brothers and a sister in Christ pass on. They were models of fidelity to our faith in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. And their return to the Lord has left me mourning the loss of their friendship and warmth. They had their own struggles and challenges but it was always a joy to be in their company. Their patience, love and humility in serving their families and their brethren is a testimony of their love for the Lord their God. I miss them fondly and can only hope that I too might one day be missed fondly, as someone who loved our Lord as His faithful servant; and loved my neighbour as I loved myself a child of God so loved by my Heavenly Father. Amen
First reading
1 Thessalonians 3:7-13 ·
Now we can breathe again, as you are still holding firm in the Lord
Brothers, your faith has been a great comfort to us in the middle of our own troubles and sorrows; now we can breathe again, as you are still holding firm in the Lord. How can we thank God enough for you, for all the joy we feel before our God on your account? We are earnestly praying night and day to be able to see you face to face again and make up any shortcomings in your faith.
May God our Father himself, and our Lord Jesus Christ, make it easy for us to come to you. May the Lord be generous in increasing your love and make you love one another and the whole human race as much as we love you. And may he so confirm your hearts in holiness that you may be blameless in the sight of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus Christ comes with all his saints.
Gospel
Matthew 24:42-51
He is coming at an hour you do not expect
Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Stay awake, because you do not know the day when your master is coming. You may be quite sure of this, that if the householder had known at what time of the night the burglar would come, he would have stayed awake and would not have allowed anyone to break through the wall of his house. Therefore, you too must stand ready because the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.
‘What sort of servant, then, is faithful and wise enough for the master to place him over his household to give them their food at the proper time? Happy that servant if his master’s arrival finds him at this employment. I tell you solemnly, he will place him over everything he owns. But as for the dishonest servant who says to himself, “My master is taking his time,” and sets about beating his fellow servants and eating and drinking with drunkards, his master will come on a day he does not expect and at an hour he does not know. The master will cut him off and send him to the same fate as the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth.’
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