Reflection – 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Vigil for Life, Merrion Square, Dublin, 19th January 2013
Vigil for Life, Merrion Square, Dublin City Centre, 19th January 2013

In today’s Gospel Jesus says to his disciples “See that you are dressed for action and have your lamps lit” prompting his followers to wait in hope and faith for the coming of the kingdom of God at the end of time “You too must stand ready, because the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect”.

As modern day disciples of Jesus, the message of the Gospel encourages us to keep the light of faith alive in our hearts while we await the eternal happiness promised to us in the heavenly kingdom. When light fades we no longer see things as they really are. Darkness can cause us to feel vulnerable and to fear the unknown. Our busy lifestyles and the pressures we experience can sometimes challenge us to ponder the meaning and direction of our lives but the questions of faith never go away and it is often in times of uncertainty that the light of God’s love shines through.

When we encounter the person of Christ and place all our trust in him we are renewed and transformed by the light of his love. We are never too far away from Jesus to encounter him in prayer. We can speak with him heart to heart and he will always listen to us. He knows all of our struggles and even when life is not easy and we stumble, the gift of his forgiveness frees us from thinking of the past and gives us the grace to make a fresh start. Speaking with Jesus about the everyday aspects of our lives helps us to grow in deeper friendship with him so that we can we cherish every moment and bring the light of his love to others.

“Jesus offers us the possibility of a fruitful life, a life of happiness; he also offers us a future with him, an endless future, in eternal life. That is what Jesus offers us. But he asks us to pay admission, and the cost of admission is that we train ourselves “to get in shape”, so that we can face every situation in life undaunted, bearing witness to our faith, by talking with him in prayer…speak continually with Jesus, in the good times and in the bad, when you do right, and when you do wrong. Do not fear him! This is prayer”. (Pope Francis, Prayer Vigil with Young People at World Youth Day, Rio de Janeiro, 27 July 2013)

Author: Patrick Muldoon