“Gird your loins and light your lamps and be like servants who await their master’s return from a wedding, ready to open immediately when he comes and knocks. Blessed are those servants whom the master finds vigilant on his arrival. Amen, I say to you, he will gird himself, have them recline at table, and proceed to wait on them. And should he come in the second or third watch and find them prepared in this way, blessed are those servants. Be sure of this: if the master of the house had known the hour when the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. You also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come (Lk. 12:35-40).”
‘Gird your loins’ means be prepared, and when guards are on watch waiting for someone to arrive they keep lamps burning. Those who serve the Cristian community should vigilant and faithful in serving the Church while they await the second coming of Christ. 'Be sober and vigilant. Your opponent the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion looking for [someone] to devour (1 Pt. 5:8).' They will be invited to the Messianic banquet. In the parable the master will serve his faithful servants if he comes and finds them waiting up to greet him.
Almighty God, grant that we may always conform our will to yours and serve you with fidelity of heart. This we pray through Christ our Lord. Amen.
References:
Raymond E. Brown, Joseph A. Fitzmyer, & Roland E. Murphy, (Eds.). (1990, 1968). The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentis Hall, Inc.
Jose M. Casciaro, Santiago Ausin, Gonzalo Aranda, Claudio Basevi, Vincente Balaguer, Francisco Varo, James Gavigan, Brian McCarthy & Thomas McGovern (Eds.). (2017). The Navarre Bible - New Testament. Dublin 8, Ireland: Four Courts Press.
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