Daily Gospel Reflection for August 30, 2018

Today's Gospel: Mt 24:42-51 Stay awake! From the beginning, when we were cast out of Eden for disobedience, our hearts have longed for the return of the master, our Creator. When Jesus gives this reminder to be prepared for the coming of the Son of Man, the disciples still do not realize that the one delivering the message is the One they await. Jesus doesn’t scold them for falling short, He shares a parable which calls them to action and deeper faith. Most of us do not fall into the serious sins of the wicked servant in this parable, but are we as prepared as possible? Could my time on social media or my complaints about (or conversation with) my gossipy friend become excessive? How often do we behave like these disciples who followed Jesus in the flesh, yet did not understand in their hearts that this was the very Savior for whom they longed? We must become faithful and prudent, taking charge of our household, attending to the proper order so when Jesus comes we recognize Him. How do we do that in a life that has become so busy that our closest friend is often a pocket-sized device that contains our schedules and our connections to the world outside, and often inside, our homes? Prioritize face to face time, starting with my prayer time. If I am rushing through it to check a box off my to-do list, slow down, use this time to really connect with the Lord and ask Him to help me reorder my day. Encounter others in a way that I recognize them and really hear them, then I can tend to their needs, right where they are. Then, I can become the gentle face of Jesus to those around me.

Ponder:

How can I prepare today to meet the Lord - in my prayer time and in others?

Pray:

Lord, give me the grace today to grow in prudence. As You invite me deeper into your Sacred Heart, I ask that You stir in me a desire to see my weakness through Your eyes, that I would allow You to work to prepare me for seeing You as You really are.

Copyright 2018 Holly Novotny Holly Novotny is wife and mother of two teen daughters, one whose eighteenth birthday is today! The Lord’s mercy and grace radically changed her life as a young adult and she threw herself into service of the Church. She is a Lifetime Marian Servant and as a graduate of the Cenacle School of Spirituality offers spiritual direction in the Archdiocese of Baltimore. Receive CatholicMom.com newsletters in your inbox, including the Daily Gospel Reflection each morning! * indicates required