Wisdom 18:6-9 / Hebrews 11:1-2, 8-19 / Luke 12:32-48
Tonight, when we call it a day and go to bed, there will be a few things that we will do.
We will brush our teeth, and that means we won't be eating anything until breakfast the next morning.
We will change into our pyjamas, and that means we won't be going out anywhere during the night.
We will also switch off our handphones and that means that we won't be contactable, nor would we be communicating with anyone during the night.
And we will also switch off the lights. It is not just about saving electricity, but the fact is that we won't be doing anything that will require the lights to be switched on.
So, as we can see, going to bed at night is not just about diving in and snoring away. We actually have a procedure and a preparation when we go to bed.
Whatever the procedure and preparation may be, the purpose is to sleep peacefully, to rest well and to be fresh and ready for the next day.
As the saying goes, “Early to bed, early to rise, makes a person healthy, wealthy and wise”. That is certainly a good practice to follow, so as to have a reasonably healthy lifestyle.
But, in the gospel, Jesus seems to be telling us to stay awake for the night, to be dressed for action and to have the lamps lighted up.
He tells us to be alert and to be ready, and He uses the parable of the servants waiting for the master’s return from the wedding feast, even if he comes late in the night or at an odd hour.
Of course, Jesus wants us to rest well at night. But He is also asking us how prepared are we to expect what will be coming up during the day.
Jesus wants us to be healthy and strong, so that we are able to be ready to respond to the call of service at any time during the day.
We are to be ready and alert whenever Jesus calls us to help others at an inconvenient time or at an unexpected moment.
In other words, we must be ready to love and to serve at any time during the day, or even at night.
As we think about that, let us remember how we prepare to go to bed at night. We brush our teeth, we change our clothes, we switch off the lights and we do whatever to ensure we rest well and sleep peacefully.
But then, how do we begin the day? The alarm clock wakes us up, we jump out of bed, we rush because we were running late, and we get flustered and frustrated.
But just as we make preparations to go to bed, we also need to make the preparations to get out of bed.
A good preparation will make all the difference between being ready and being caught by surprise, between being alert and being careless.
Yes, preparation makes all the difference. Here is a short reflection and it is called “The Difference” (Author: Alan Grant).
I got up early one morning and rushed right into the day. I had so much to accomplish that I didn't have time to pray.
Problems just tumbled about me, and heavier came each task. "Why doesn't God help me?" I wondered. He answered, “You didn't ask,"
I wanted to see joy and beauty, but the day toiled on, grey and bleak. I wondered why God didn't show me. He said, "But you didn't seek.
I tried to come into God's presence. I used all my keys at the lock. God gently and lovingly chided, "My child, you didn't knock."
I woke up early this morning and paused before I began the day. I had so much to accomplish that I had to take time to pray.
Yes, that prayer preparation at the start of the day will make all the difference.
So, sleep earlier, wake up earlier, begin the day with prayer, and we will be ready whenever Jesus knocks at an inconvenient time or at an unexpected moment, to call us to service.
And when we open the door to serve others, we also open the door to abundant blessings for ourselves.
And we will also sleep peacefully at night.