"Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes;"(Luke.12:37)

"Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes;"(Luke.12:37)
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It happened in 1954, during my High School days at St. Mary's, Madurai.

One of my friends in the Boarding fell ill and was admitted in the hospital for treatment.

He was in the hospital for about fifteen days and was getting well.

The day before he was to be discharged we were told that the next day's Mass would be Thanksgiving Mass.

We we were all happy.

The next day we went to Church in a happy mood.

But at the beginning of the Mass shocking words attacked our ears like a thunderbolt.

The Mass was introduced to be
Requiem Mass.

We were looking each other with tearful eyes.

The recovered boy had unexpectedly died in morning in the hospital itself.

Call from above may come at any unexpected moment.

We must always be ready.

Jesus conveys this message through the parable of the master and servant.

Master of the house may come home from a feast at any time at night.

The servants must remain awake all night so that they can open the door at the very moment the master knocks at the door.

We are cocksure that our life in this world is not permanent.

We may at any unexpected time be called to the next world leaving whatever we have, including our body, behind.

The same message is conveyed by the following verses also

"Behold, I come as the thief comes; blessed is he that keeps watch, and is ready clad", (Revelation.16:15)

"You are keeping it clearly in mind, without being told, that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night." (1 Thessalonians 5:2)

We are so much interested in worldly things like earning money, planning to spend it, taking care of worldly welfare of our dear ones and so many other things that we forget that we may have to leave this world at any time whether we wish it or not.

It does not mean that the above should not be done.

We have to live in this world till we die.

Food, money and such other things are necessary for living.

But primary importance should be given to our spiritual life.

Our temporal life should be helpful to our spiritual life, not an impediment to it.

How can temporal life be helpful to Spiritual life?

Very simple.

Whatever we do without sin can be spiritualized if offered to God.

If we begin every day in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit and offer whole day's activities for the love and glory of God, the whole day's life becomes a prayer.

If everyday becomes a prayer, our whole life becomes a prayer.

By living a full time spiritual life, we are always spiritually awake to  'open the door the moment Jesus knocks at it'.

One Bishop was one day doing some garden work with his spade.

His friend asked him, "What will you do if an Angel comes down and tells you that you will die in ten minutes,?"

"I will continue to work in the garden.

I am always ready to die.

There is no difference between dying in the garden and dying in my room.

Why should I take some extra effort to die?"

Let us ask ourselves individually, ,"Am I ready if Jesus comes now,?"

Lourdu Selvam.