“GIRD YOUR LOINS AND LIGHT YOUR LAMPS”

Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

St. John Baptiste Marie Vianney Sunday

Wis 18: 6 – 9 / Ps 33 / Heb 11: 1 – 2. 8 – 19 / Lk 12: 32 – 48 or 35 – 40

What comes into your mind the moment you wake up from sleep?

You might say, “I immediately think about the activities during the day. Imo dayong hunahunaon if imo bang awayon imong bana karon. Maghunahuna dayon ka ug rason nganong dili ka mobayad sa imong utang. Maghunahuna dayon ka unsaon pagpagwapa (You might think how you will ensue a fight with your husband; or what reasons to give so as not to be able to pay a debt; or maybe, how to make yourself pretty the whole day). I am sure no one of you here will think of the last things like the end of the world, the return of Jesus Christ, or even your own death. Upon waking up, I am sure no one among you will say, “Basin karon na matapos ang kalibutan. Basin karon na ‘ko mamatay” (Today might be the end of the world; or, I might die today).

Every time we wake up, we always think of the present and only the present, isn’t it?

That is why my dear friends, Jesus in our Gospel today is reminding us that there is always an end; that despite how busy we are, we must not forget that someday the Lord will return, and his return is like that of the master in our Gospel today whose arrival took place unexpectedly.

“Gird your loins”

During the time of Jesus, people wore long and flowing robes like what I am wearing today. As you can see, with this kind of attire, one cannot move freely; one cannot work well. That is why they needed to gird their loins. Girding one’s loins means fastening the robes with a belt so that one can freely move.

But what does that mean to us?

My dear friends, fastening our robes means, being active in our service to others. Last Sunday, Jesus reminded us not to be greedy with our possessions. Today, he invites us to fasten our robes so that we can serve others actively. We must not busy our lives today by enriching ourselves with fame, power, and money. Remember the words of Mother Teresa, “if you cannot feed a hundred people, then feed just one today.” And so, it is also true, if you cannot serve a hundred people, then serve just one today.

“Light your lamps”

Going back to our Gospel, the servants were asked to light their lamps because the arrival of the master takes place while it was still dark.

My dear friends, as we try to actively serve others today, we also cannot deny the truth that difficulties happen along the way. As you serve your wife, you still cannot run away from her “noisy” attitude. As you serve your husband, he still remains a palahubog (drunk) and a sugarol (gambler). As you serve your children, they still continue to disrespect you. Since we experience difficulties in our service, we must therefore light also our lamps, the lamp of faith. And what is this faith? Pope Francis tells us that it is not a light which scatter all our darkness, but a lamp which guides our steps in the night and enough for the journey.” Faith, therefore, is God’s accompanying presence in our lives. We light our lamps of faith so that when the Lord comes, we will truly see him despite the difficulties of life.

My dear friends, the truth remains to be true – that someday, in a day we do not expect, Jesus will return in glory. And so, as we busy ourselves today with the concerns of the present, I hope and pray that we learn to gird our loins, to fasten our robes, so that we can actively serve others. And as we experience the difficulties of life, we light the lamp of faith – God’s accompanying presence in our lives.

So, what comes into your mind the moment you wake up from sleep? A better question might be: who comes into your mind the moment you wake up from sleep? Whoever that person is, gird your loins and serve that person. If he is your friend, then serve him. If he is your enemy, then maybe you can pray for him. As you serve others, never forget to light your lamp of faith. Never forget to acknowledge God’s accompanying presence in your lives. Amen.