Glory be to Jesus Christ!
Did you ever take first aid training? When I was younger I was a lifeguard and swim instructor and one of the most prevalent worries that we were trained to be on guard against was hypothermia. As your body gets colder your internal body temperature can’t be regulated and there is a great danger of falling asleep. In many cases this is the most dangerous time as it is very possible to slip silently into a sleep which many do not wake from. In treating a hypothermic victim it is essential to keep them awake.
In our reading today our Lord tells his Disciples to stay awake. No one knows the time of His return and so the Christian is to stay awake and live in constant readiness. We cannot be lulled to sleep by a world which insists religious belief shouldn’t be shared, that the primary gauge of fulfillment is material wealth or the most important imperative in life is individual happiness. We must stay awake to our Lord’s presence and mission in this world and await His great and awesome return! As the world gets colder, we must, as Christians, become warmer so that others may find light, heat and the life of Christ through us!
Glory be to Jesus Christ!
