Reflection for December 3
This passage calls us to always be on alert and watchful since we can never predict when our life’s journey will come to an end or “when the lord of the house is coming.” We don’t know when or how this will occur, but we all need to be ready as life can be gone in a heartbeat. The passage could also be related to the second coming of Christ at the end of time, and we don’t know when this will happen either but, in both cases, we need to be ready, watchful, and alert.
One wonders why this gospel is placed at the very beginning of Advent. Perhaps because it’s Christmas season and the busiest time of the year! It is easy to get distracted and caught up in the cooking, shopping, partying, and other activities. While these are good things, especially when done for the benefit of others and our families, it’s easy to lose track of the real meaning of Christmas and the gift that we have been given through the birth of our Lord.
In the passage, Jesus calls us to be gatekeepers, to keep a watchful eye and avoid the distractions of everyday life. We know that Jesus can come to us any day and call us to His service. Therefore, we should be our best selves and try to live each day with love, compassion, honesty, and integrity and, as St. Ignatius suggested “to seek God in all things” as we prepare for Christmas and His coming. We can ask ourselves, how am I doing, am I hearing Him through the hustle bustle, am I alert for His words, am I seeking them, am I watching?
Beth Malley