Homily: “Are You Ready?” – 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C

Brothers and sisters,
The Gospel today begins with the Lord’s words:
“Do not be afraid, little flock.”
And it ends with a warning:
“At an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.”

It begins with consolation—and ends with a call to be ready.
And that is the pattern of all Christian life: comfort and challenge, mercy and mission, peace and preparation.

Hebrews gives us the definition of faith: “Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1)

Faith is not a vague feeling. It is confidence. It is conviction.
Abraham left everything—not knowing where he was going—because he trusted in God’s promise.
Sarah believed that God could bring life out of her barrenness.

And the reading from Wisdom reminds us how God saved the Israelites:
They had faith, not just in God’s power, but in His promise.

Faith means trusting the One who speaks, even when we don’t see the full picture.
And it means living now in a way that reflects what we hope for then.

Jesus tells us today: “It is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”

Not sell you the Kingdom. Not loan it. Give it.

He says it with joy, with tenderness—“little flock.”
He is the Good Shepherd who lays down His life for His sheep.

And then comes the challenge: “Be dressed for action. Keep your lamps burning.”

Because the same Jesus who promises Heaven also calls us to be ready.
He compares us to servants waiting for their master to return.
Those who are watching—those who are awake—will be blessed.

But those who get lazy, or complacent…
those who say, “My master is delayed,”
those who mistreat others or live only for themselves…

They will be caught off guard.

And Jesus says something striking: “To the one who has been given much, much will be required.” That’s us. We—Catholics—have been given much.

The sacraments.
The Church’s teaching.
The communion of saints.
The real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist.
The grace of Confession.
The Word of God.
The light of Tradition.

We are not the uninformed.
We are the entrusted.

Every Sunday we say in the Creed:
“He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead.”

We are not just remembering Jesus.
We are awaiting Him.

The Church is always on watch.
The liturgy, the sacraments, even the Rosary—all of them point forward, not just backward.
We are not just a historical faith. We are an eschatological faith—we look to the Last Things: Death. Judgment. Heaven. Hell.

That’s why Jesus tells us to be like servants whose lamps are lit.
Because the Bridegroom is coming.
And we don’t know when.

This doesn’t mean living in fear.
It means living with purpose.

Being ready doesn’t mean panic.
It means preparedness.

Being ready doesn’t mean we stop life and stare at the sky.
It means we live our life for God.

So let me be practical. Ask yourself:

Am I in a state of grace?

When was my last good Confession?

Am I faithful to Sunday Mass—not out of habit, but out of love?

Do I pray daily, even five minutes of silence with God?

Do I forgive quickly? Speak kindly? Live honestly?

Am I generous with what I have—my time, my gifts, my resources?

If my soul were required of me tonight… would I be ready?

These are not gloomy questions. They are liberating.

Because to live ready is to live free.
Free from self-deception.
Free from attachment to this world.
Free for God.

Jesus says something shocking:

“Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. Truly I say to you, he will gird himself, have them sit at table, and he will come and serve them.” (Luke 12:37)

The Master serves the servants.

What a picture of Heaven!

That the Son of God, who came to serve,
will one day seat us at His table,
and serve us with His joy.

But only if He finds us awake.

Some people live as if God is irrelevant.
As if life is guaranteed.
As if the Gospel is a suggestion.

But Jesus says clearly:

“At an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.” (Luke 12:40)

Don’t delay your conversion.
Don’t presume on mercy while refusing to repent.
Don’t build barns while neglecting your soul.

Now is the time of grace.
Now is the hour of salvation. (cf. 2 Corinthians 6:2)

If Christ returned this night—
Would you rejoice, or hide?

Would He find you watching—or wandering?

Would He see your lamp burning—or your heart growing cold?

To be Catholic is not to be perfect—
But it is to be watching.

To live by faith.
To act in love.
To trust in grace.

And to be found ready.

St. John Chrysostom once said:

“Hell is paved not with the sins of the ignorant, but with the indifference of the instructed.”

Let us not be indifferent.
Let us not live half-awake.

Let us live each day as if Christ is coming soon—because He is.

You have been given much.
The Church. The sacraments. The truth. The Eucharist.

So live your life as a servant waiting for his Master.
Not with dread—but with devotion.
Not with fear—but with fidelity.

Because the Master is coming.
And He longs to say:

“Well done, good and faithful servant.
Enter into the joy of your Lord.” (Matthew 25:23)