First reading 1 Thessalonians 3:7-13
Now we can breathe again, as you are still holding firm in the Lord
Brothers, your faith has been a great comfort to us in the middle of our own troubles and sorrows; now we can breathe again, as you are still holding firm in the Lord. How can we thank God enough for you, for all the joy we feel before our God on your account? We are earnestly praying night and day to be able to see you face to face again and make up any shortcomings in your faith.
May God our Father himself, and our Lord Jesus Christ, make it easy for us to come to you. May the Lord be generous in increasing your love and make you love one another and the whole human race as much as we love you. And may he so confirm your hearts in holiness that you may be blameless in the sight of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus Christ comes with all his saints.
Responsorial Psalm 89(90):3-4,12-14,17
Fill us with your love that we may rejoice.
You turn men back to dust
and say: ‘Go back, sons of men.’
To your eyes a thousand years
are like yesterday, come and gone,
no more than a watch in the night.
Make us know the shortness of our life
that we may gain wisdom of heart.
Lord, relent! Is your anger for ever?
Show pity to your servants.
In the morning, fill us with your love;
we shall exult and rejoice all our days.
Let the favour of the Lord be upon us:
give success to the work of our hands.
Gospel Matthew 24:42-51
He is coming at an hour you do not expect
Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Stay awake, because you do not know the day when your master is coming. You may be quite sure of this, that if the householder had known at what time of the night the burglar would come, he would have stayed awake and would not have allowed anyone to break through the wall of his house. Therefore, you too must stand ready because the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.
‘What sort of servant, then, is faithful and wise enough for the master to place him over his household to give them their food at the proper time? Happy that servant if his master’s arrival finds him at this employment. I tell you solemnly, he will place him over everything he owns. But as for the dishonest servant who says to himself, “My master is taking his time,” and sets about beating his fellow servants and eating and drinking with drunkards, his master will come on a day he does not expect and at an hour he does not know. The master will cut him off and send him to the same fate as the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth.’
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The power of love
“May the Lord be generous in increasing your love and make you love one another and the whole human race as much as we love you…” (1st Reading). St Paul held a tender affection for the Church of Thessalonica, a bond that shines through in this First Reading as he earnestly prays for them. His prayer is filled with hope that God will not only deepen their capacity for love but also strengthen their ability to love one another within the community, as well as extend that love to those beyond their circle. For Paul, love is a powerful testimony to others, serving as a
guiding light that draws them to encounter Christ and to have faith in Him.
In the Gospel, Jesus calls us to stay awake by engaging ourselves in a life filled with love, compassion, and service to others. He encourages us to open our hearts and attend to the needs of those around us, fostering a community rooted in kindness and support. Today, let us turn to Jesus and seek His grace, which empowers us to live with unwavering faith and extend our love generously to everyone we encounter.
Reflective question:
Am I actively putting love into action in my daily life?
Acknowledgment: Reflections are based on “Prayer for Living: The Word of God for Daily Prayer Year C” by Sr Maria Jose FMVD.
