So often in life we find ourselves waiting: Waiting on a new job, waiting for our next trip, waiting to get pregnant, waiting to meet the right person, waiting on heaven, waiting, waiting, waiting. This week, I was reminded of the grace and the choice that awaits us in these moments. The Gospel, at Mass on Thursday, was from Matthew 24:42-51 in which Jesus spoke the parable of the two servants awaiting their Master’s return.

“Jesus said to his disciples: “Stay Awake! For you do not know
on which day your Lord will come…
Who then is the faithful and prudent servant, whom the master
has put in charge of his household to distribute to them
their food at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his
master on his arrival finds doing so. Amen, I say to you, he will put
him in charge of all his property. But if that wicked servant says to
himself, ‘My master is long delayed,’ and begins to beat his fellow
servants, and eat and drink with drunkards, the servant’s master
will come on an unexpected day and at an unknown hour and
will punish him severely and assign him a place with the hypocrites,
where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.”

The priest giving the homily, spoke so eloquently of the application of this parable in our daily lives. No matter what we find ourselves waiting on, as faithful Christians, it is the Lord for whom we seek to wait. In the grand picture, we await His second coming, or the end of our lives when we hope to hear the words “Well done good and faithful servant.” However, as is the case with many heavenly things, this longing, is mirrored in our earthly experiences. Whether it is for heaven, or the fruition of our Vocation, or a new job…in times of waiting, are we the first servant or the second? Do we wait patiently on the Lord, for His coming in response to our circumstances, or do we get tired of waiting, abandon the duties the Lord has given us in THIS moment, and take control of our own life decisions?

In the end, the watchful and waiting servant will always obtain greater happiness. For while, in the short-term, the inpatient servant who has set out on their own may enjoy greater “freedoms” and worldly pleasures, these will fade away as they always do, and in the mean time, the servant will miss the many gifts the Master would have lavished upon them had they faithfully awaited his return. Thus, causing marriages based solely on external beauty, or financial gain, or jobs ill-suited to ones talents. These rarely stand the test of time.

Whereas, imagine the greatness of the gifts bestowed upon the obedient servant, who was seemingly “chained” by their duties in the Master’s absence. Think of those women or men, in your life, whom you know, that have waited patiently, remaining faithful to the Lord’s call in their lives…how are they repaid? With marriages based on an eternal foundation of faith, with jobs best suited for their gifts, and hopefully, in the end, an imperishable crown.

And so, for whatever we await, let us “Stay Awake!,” keeping our lives ever about the Lord’s business. That upon the Master’s return we may be blessed by the most perfect gifts from the One who knows us better than we could ever know ourselves…for He alone created us out of nothingness.

Here’s to living lives filled with abundant Truth and Joy,
To waiting on the Lord’s perfect coming in response to our heart’s desires and needs,
Here’s to the eternal Heights of Heaven!