August 25, 2011
Thursday of the Twenty-First Week in Ordinary Time
Be sure of this: if the master of the house
had known the hour of night when the thief was coming,
he would have stayed awake
and not let his house be broken into.
So too, you also must be prepared,
for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come. Matthew 24:43-44
Piety
Now may God himself, our Father, and our Lord Jesus
direct our way to you, and may the Lord make you increase
and abound in love for one another and for all,
just as we have for you,
so as to strengthen your hearts,
to be blameless in holiness before our God and Father
at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his holy ones. Amen. 1 Thessalonians 3:11-13
Study
The Unknown Hour. Some things are known. When will the sun rise? What time is Mass at St. Mary’s on Sunday? When will we have our next election?
But when will we be called home to the Lord? No one knows that hour. Therefore, we must take steps now to prepare to strengthen our heart in the love of the Lord and the love of each other. This can seem like an ominous lesson. However, look at the Psalm in today’s readings.
Fill us with your love, oh Lord, and we will sing for joy! When we prepare by filling our hearts with love, it is a joyful occasion. We must set aside the other things we are tempted to fill up our hearts and lives with – jealousy, greed, lust, gluttony – and turn to the Lord for the right things with which to stock up.
Action
As Hurricane Irene bears down on the East Coast of the United States, we are hearing messages about being prepared from every corner. The Weather Channel. CNN. Local News. It is easy to find the list of what to do and what supplies to have on hand. This morning, we even heard that classes in Norfolk’s Old Dominion University have already been cancelled for Monday.
The Tropical Storm Watch is nothing compared with the fear and queasiness experienced with the Mineral, Va., earthquake. There is no forecast model for such events. So today’s message about being prepared rings especially true for such events.
Think during this time of the people who cannot afford to evacuate or stock up on bread, milk, and batteries. Consider how you can volunteer or send supplies to wide areas of the nation that will be affected.
