The psalmist says, fill us with your love, Lord, that we may rejoice. In today’s first reading, we see how St. Paul and his fellow brothers in Christ rejoice in the love of God our Heavenly Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. Such affirming words can only be uttered with an overflowing love coming from the heart. We can breathe again knowing that you all are holding firm in the Lord.
This tender loving care can only come from a father’s heart, for his children, from the fraternal bonds lived as brothers and sisters in Christ, and simply from walking in the ways of the Lord, so that love prevails, love rules over all.
What happens when we are not walking in the love of the Lord? We hear Jesus’ warning that we must stand firm and stay alert, for we do not know when the Master is coming. The terrible examples of those in leadership who are supposed to care for those under them, are abusing their power, getting drunk. In essence, they have lost their focus on the Lord. They have lost sight of their relationship with the Lord, and the darkness of the world has prevailed.
It is a reminder that it can happen to any one of us, and so we must strive for holiness. Strive to walk in the ways of the Lord, always being alert; for the lion is prowling, seeking to destroy. We need to remain steadfast, so that the love of the Lord can rule in our hearts always, so that we may rejoice in Him. Amen.
Saint Augustine, Bishop, Doctor for Pray for us…
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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.
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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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