19th Sunday in Ordinary Time – Year C
‘Blessed are the people the Lord has chosen as his own.’ Today’s theme is all about ‘Faith’. We read in the second reading that it was ‘faith’ that made Abraham obey the call of God, to set out for a distant country which would become the promise land.
It was ‘faith’ that made Sarah, even in her advanced age, able to conceive a son, because she believed that God, who made the promise, would be faithful to it.
It was by ‘faith’ Abraham was put to the test and offered up Isaac as a sacrifice. And it will be through Isaac’s line that the ‘faith’ will be carried on, to the number of descendants that cannot be counted, as many as the stars of heaven, or grains of sand on the seashore. We are counted as those descendants as Christians, the Children of God.
However, is our soul ready for the Lord’s return? We read in today’s Psalm ‘Our soul is waiting for the Lord, He is our help and our shield.’
The need to be ready and waiting is a key message in today’s Gospel ‘Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes.’ St. Paul in his letter to the Thessalonian’s taught that we should ‘Rejoice always and pray without ceasing.’ That is why the Church has always encouraged us to pray continually throughout the day. In the ‘Divine Office, the Liturgy of Hours’ the Church prays at least five times a day.
This is done by religious and lay people alike. These people who are living in all the many different time zones, are reciting the Divine Office in one continuous prayer, for the needs of the world throughout the whole day.
This means there is always one person in the world praying for each and every one of us, interceding to the Lord on our behalf. Therefore, ask the Holy Spirit today to make our hearts ready for the Lord’s return.
Prayer is what makes us stay awake, as the Lord will come at an hour we do not expect. So, don’t give up, saying to our ourselves: ‘Relax, because the Master is taking his time in coming’ No, keep the Faith alive and active, keep on praying.
Our Faith is not just about prayer, but also about works. In the book of James, it says ‘Faith is dead, if it has no works’. Faith and Works go together, hand in hand. St. James believes that our faith in Jesus Christ and trusting in God, will make us feel compassionate for each other, and to act in good charity to our neighbour.
The Gospel highlights the importance to build up Treasures in Heaven, where no thief or moth can destroy. The lesson here is to keep God in the centre of our lives. We should not be too busy to pray to the Lord and thanking him for the many blessings we have received. This refers back to last week’s Gospel, of the ‘Rich Fool’ who was too busy hoarding his wealth rather than sharing it with the poor.
So, let us today keep the Lord close to our hearts and minds, strong in Faith. Awake, praying and being active in works of charity, making treasure for ourselves in Heaven.
This will make us ready for the Lord’s coming, as he takes us by the hand into paradise for all eternity when he returns again.
Rev. Fr Philip Wrigley's Blog 