A Reflection for Thursday of the Twenty-First Week in Ordinary Time
Find today’s readings here
“Stay awake!
For you do not know on which day your Lord will come.” (Mt 24:42-51)
Now that I live in New York City, the city that never sleeps, my nightly routine has been newly accompanied by a cacophony of sirens and horns outside my window. Sleep, however, is something that I hold sacred, so as I prepare for bed, I try (for the most part) to quiet my mind, examine my day and engage in a reflective conversation with God. Since starting as an O’Hare Fellow at America, I have been called to stay awake—well, not physically awake—but spiritually awake to the movements of the Spirit in my life and how I can animate that mission through my work.
In today’s reading, the Thessalonians are awake and active in their pursuit of faith. Paul has sent Timothy to check on the Thessalonians to ensure that amid their suffering they stay dedicated to their faith in God. What Timothy finds is remarkable: the Thessalonians are not only surviving but thriving. In their struggle, their faith has been deepened and they have been rewarded greatly. Although Paul and Timothy were worried that the Thessalonians would abandon God, the Thessalonians give us an apt representation of staying spiritually awake.
How am I to know if my faith is built on solid ground? How do I hold fast to the intangible?
Being awake to the presence of God can be exhausting. When I am not “awake,” when I am not connected to my operative spirituality, I question my awareness of the presence of God. In these moments, it feels easier to just drift off to sleep, to close my eyes in ignorance of the existence of God in all things.
How am I to know if my faith is built on solid ground? How do I hold fast to the intangible?
Today's readings answer those questions. Both the Thessalonians and the faithful servant in the Gospel rely on resilience, on a knowledge that through struggling, their faith gives them the strength to persevere. Cultivating a faith of our own, one that is fortified and can withstand the great tests and challenges of life is no small task. This kind of faith relies on the steadfast power of God. While I have found that I am most connected with my sense of gratitude and growth before nodding off to sleep, it is during my waking hours that I experience the goodness and grace of my faith made manifest. The miseries and joys of our faith keep us awake, in tune with the workings of the Spirit and the wonder of God in our lives.
