Will You Be Ready?

08-11-2019Weekly Reflection©LPi

Tickets booked, packing list double-checked, itinerary set - how do you know you're prepared for a trip? Being ready requires plenty of practical preparation. Do we give the same care to our spiritual preparedness? "Your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom," Jesus tells us. In this Sunday's Gospel, Jesus reminds us to have the right attitude for the gifts and callings he wants to give us!

Clear out your clutter! “Where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.” Jesus reminds the disciples that earthly standards of security and success will wear out in time. If our lives are structured around values that don't align with the kingdom of God, we'll miss opportunities to receive God. If we're so concerned with our child's success in sports that we miss Sunday Mass for their tournaments, we're missing out receiving the sacraments and building a consistent community of faith. If our quest for the promotion takes us away from family commitments, we won't be able to fully receive the love intended in our closest relationships.

Set faith-based priorities. “Blessed are those servants whom the master finds vigilant on his arrival.” Our conflicting commitments can cause any routine to slip from time to time. All the more reason to make sure faith is a priority. Pray as a family before meals. Bring your children regularly to the sacrament of confession. Make room in the schedule for faith enrichment activities offered by your parish. Volunteer once a month.

“At an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.” When will the call come to care for an ailing parent? To take on a new leadership position? God speaks to us through the circumstances of our lives. He calls each of us to greater love, sometimes in very concrete ways. This week, take some time to consider: Will you be ready?