Experiencing God - Vigilance 129

"Be dressed for action and have your lamps lit.  Be like those who are waiting for their master to return from the wedding banquet so that you may open the door for Him as soon as He comes and knocks."
Gospel of Luke

Scripture challenges us to be in a state of constant readiness, to be awake and ready to respond to whatever comes.  Imagine if you knew that a thief was going to break into your house tonight.  Would you not be prepared for this to happen?  Would you not be vigilant as you wait in anticipation of this event to unfold?  This vigilance or waiting in readiness must not be confused with busyness, although an anticipation of some action is strongly implied. 

During the forty years that I worked for a living, my time could be described as busy, but it was rarely "vigilant" as Jesus describes.  My busyness was most often a response to do what was necessary in order to attain the exterior things that I wanted, whether it be material, pleasure, a good reputation, or praise.  Also my busyness was most often my response in doing what was necessary to avoid a loss of income or unpleasant situations such as criticism and lost of respect. 

This is not the "vigilance" that Jesus is calling us too in the Gospel.  He is calling us "to be awake" to the fact that there are many things more important going on that must be drawn into our awareness.  There many things much more important going on that should draw us away from the external drama of our own personal lives of likes and dislikes, pleasures and fears. 

Most of the world religions, and certainly Christianity, considers it a healthy practice to focus on the end, whether this be the "end of times" or the end of our lives.  The purpose of this is not to move us towards depressing thoughts.  This wisdom helps us to put our lives in the right perspective.  It assists us in discerning the priorities of our lives, and moves us away from being consumed by the superficial.

In challenging us to be vigilant, Jesus is calling us to reject the superficial and to concentrate on what is important.  To do this, we must be awake to what is important.  What might that be?

Saint Paul wrote in his letter to the Ephesians: "I have been entrusted by God with the Grace that is meant for all.  I, the least of all the saints, have been entrusted with the task of proclaiming to the world the infinite treasure that can be found in Christ." 

We are meant for God.  St. Paul proclaims that this is in accordance with the plan that God has made with us for all eternity.  Our happiness, our well-being, and everything else that we are seeking is contingent upon us realizing that we are a part of this unique calling in whatever form it may take.  In order to do this, we must be awake to it.  We must be awake to what is happening in this present moment so that we may be prepared to act in accordance with God's plan for us.  The action may be something that's relatively simple; caring for a child, visiting a person who is lonely, giving attention to family, a smile.

To be awake is not easy.  We are often so distracted by our own perceived needs for the things around us, our own plans and agendas.  But through Grace, we can quiet this activity down and enter the mystery of which St. Paul speaks.