Be vigilant awaiting the day of the Lord
33^rd Sunday in ordinary time Dn 12:1-3; Mk: 13: 24-32

The first reading and the Gospel reading speak about the last day or the second coming of Jesus. For many of us it could be frightening. One does not need to be frightened. Because, Jesus says it not to frighten us but to give us a pre-caution about what is going to take place on the last day, so that one could prepare himself or herself for that day. The theme that we get from today’s readings is “BE VIGILANT”. Because, the day or the hour is not known to anyone except to the Father.

Like the other parables in the gospels which talk about being vigilant for the day of the second coming of Jesus, in the parable of ten virgins(Mt 25:1-13) five were wise enough to take oil with them. The other five were foolish virgins. They did not take oil with them. So, they were not ready to go with the Lord when He came. At the end of the passage we see that they beg the Lord to open the door for them. But Jesus says to them, “I do not know you”. Jesus would tell us also the same thing if we are not ready when He comes back.

How do we prepare ourselves for the Lord’s coming? The Church is the helpline; Church’s Sacraments, social and moral teachings etc. one’s self-examination could be a better measuring scale to see how one is preparing oneself for the day of the Lord. Some of the questions I would ask myself as part of self-examination are: how worthily do I receive the body and blood of Christ? How often do I approach the sacrament of reconciliation? Through Baptism and Confirmation I fully become the member of the mystical body of Christ that is the Church. How sincerely do I fulfill my duties and responsibilities as a member of the Church? How faithfully do I live the Moral and social teachings of the Church? How faithfully do I live the commandment of Jesus to love God and my neighbor?

In the same chapter verse 22-23 Jesus warns us to be aware of the falls prophets. False prophets could be from within and from outside. Today, who are the falls prophets from outside? Anyone who leads the small one astray through their scandalous life is falls prophets. Anyone who gives a wrong teaching which is not in line with Christ’s teaching is a falls prophet. In the present world those who spread unnecessary rumors about the final day through social Medias, those who predict the last day, those ministers who speak of a specific day or time as the last day in different Medias are the falls prophets. I say so because; as Jesus said no one know the day or the hour except the Father.

Who is the false prophet within? It is a person’s erroneous conscience. If one’s conscience is not formed rightly, then his conscience shows the wrong as right and the right as wrong. These are the falls prophets we need to watch out for and be careful not to be deceived by them. If any one does it, it is out of pride he does it. He considers himself equivalent to God the Father for He alone knows the day and the hour. And we know what happened to the fallen angels because of their pride. That is the reason why Jesus warns all of us ahead of time. So that we may not fall into their trap.

What could I do in order to be always vigilant to receive the Lord when He comes? One thing that could keep us always ready is not postponing or not delaying. Especially when it comes to the Sacrament of reconciliation we tend to postpone it. If we die in a sinful state it changes our destiny for we do not know the time. Therefore, frequent confession can keep us always ready. Secondly, living the commandment of Jesus at all the circumstances can keep us always ready for his coming.