Reflection:  
In the Gospel of the 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time, the rich farmer’s life ends not-so-happily for two reasons: first, he prioritized earthly possessions and security at the expense of his spiritual well-being, and second, he passed away unprepared.  Our theme for the week, derived from the readings of this Sunday exhorts us to observe two things: we are to be faithful to the Lord at all times, and to be vigilant and patient in awaiting His coming.

Let us tackle the first.  How are we to be faithful to God?  St. Paul’s letter to the Hebrews defines faith (v.1) as – “… the realization of what is hoped for and evidence of things not seen.”  It is a challenging concept, especially when all we see around us are feuds, betrayals, unfaithfulness, corruption, which continue unabated, even within Christian communities.  Obviously, these issues test our faith.  Equally obviously, this is the time to be firm, to put our foot down, bend our knees in prayer, and remain faithful to the Lord like Abraham and Sarah, who were blessed, not only with abundance, but Abraham became the father of all peoples.  Abraham and Sarah were not judged according to what they had done, but on their faithfulness to God.

As disciples of Jesus Christ, vigilance and patience are character traits we should cultivate, if we are to avoid being “caught by surprise” when our time comes.  Striving for worldly wealth and lack of dialogue with the Lord can hinder us not only in our quest for heaven, but in our mission work.  We are to serve rather than expect others to serve us.  When requested to help in community work, a disciple of Christ cannot say… “Lord, I am sorry, I am on sabbatical leave” or “Why me? There are many of us here, Lord, why don’t you call them first!” Matthew 25: 35-40 gives us a clear direction of vigilance and sensitivity to Christ’ presence in our lives – “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink…” 

In the second parable, Jesus tells about the thief who will come when least expected.  That is why we lock our doors and bolt our gates when we leave our homes, or when we sleep at night.  We are not comparing Jesus to a thief in the night, but what we are saying is that we do not know when He will come, and when our life comes to an end.  We cannot predict with certainty what will happen tomorrow, or the day after.  But we can make the effort to make things right.  We can strive to overcome certain bad habits, like our negative mindsets.   What then, is the Word telling us? Jesus wants us to be messengers or cultivators of hope, to be optimists and channels of grace for others.

Jesus promises us at the beginning of the Gospel (v.32) “Do not be afraid any longer, little flock, for your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom.” Fear is a hindrance that keeps us from being effective bearers of the Good News and channels of grace.  Our worries and anxieties cripple us from being better stewards of God’s blessings.  The antidote to fear is love.  If we say we love God, we should believe in His promise and trust that He will take care of all our needs. “…your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom.”(Lk 12: 32)  Let’s take it from Jesus.  Our Heavenly Father is ever ready to give us what we need in life.  All He asks of us is to be faithful to His Son, to listen to Him, to trust in His Word, and be doers of His commandment of love of God and neighbor.  Trust in God produces faith and hope. When we trust God more than ourselves, our possessions, or the things we call our own, what will remain is healthy fear – the holy fear of God.  We will be like Abraham, who lived with “confident assurance concerning what we hope for, and conviction about things we do not see.” (Hb 11:1)

Abraham chose to follow the voice of God who revealed Himself to him.  He dispossessed himself of his earthly possessions, his comforts, and was even willing to sacrifice his only son Isaac as an offering to God, in a test of faith which he passed with flying colors.  Abraham set forth and persevered in the course of his journey, withstanding the hardships of settling in a foreign land, all for the love of his God whom he trusted implicitly and obeyed in everything. Abraham experienced true freedom, detachment from anything and everything that hindered him from total commitment to God, holding on firmly to God’s promise of eternal joy with Him in heaven.

Proverbs 9:10 says “fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.”  May this holy fear be cultivated in our hearts, that we may have the wisdom and understanding to live holy lives here on earth, and be found worthy to be with Jesus in His eternal glory!  Our prayer then, is for God to grant us the grace to be like Abraham, who was full of hope, faith, and unwavering trust in God.

Reflection Questions:
1.    What are the things do I hold so dear, they serve as hindrances in following Jesus?
2.    What do I do to prepare myself for the coming of Jesus?

This Week’s Daily Mass Reading Guide:
August 11, 2013 (Sun)    Wis 18:6-9/Ps 33:1,12,18-22/Heb 11:1-2,8-19 or 11:1,2,8-12
Lk 12:32-48 or Lk 12:35-40
August 12, 2013 (Mon)    Dt 10:12-22/Ps 147:12-15,19,20/Mt 17:22-27
August 13, 2013 (Tues)    Dt 31:1-8/Dt 32:3,4,7-9,12/Mt 18:1-5,10,12-14
August 14, 2013 (Wed)    Dt 34:1-12/Ps 66:1-3,5,8,16,17/Mt 18:15-20
August 15, 2013 (Thur)    Rv 11:19;12:1-6,10/Ps 45:10,11,12,16/1Cor 15:20-27/Lk 1:39-56
August 16, 2013 (Fri)       Jos 24:1-13/Ps 136:1-3,16-18,21,22,24/Mt 19:3-12
August 17, 2013 (Sat)      Jos 24:14-29/Ps 16:1,2,5,7,8,11/Mt 19:13-15

“Ignorance of the Bible is ignorance of Christ.  Read your Bible daily!”

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