Are you Ready?

“You must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” (Luke 12:40)

Brothers and sisters,
Today’s Gospel begins gently:

“Do not be afraid, little flock…”
But it ends with a warning:
“To whom much is given, much will be required.”

That tension—between comfort and call, between promise and judgment—is the heartbeat of today’s readings.

This isn’t just a parable about servants.
It’s a wake-up call for the baptised.

It’s not addressed to pagans or unbelievers.
It’s spoken to us—those who know Christ, who’ve been given the sacraments, who’ve heard the Gospel.

In other words, this isn’t a fire drill.
It’s the voice of the Master… asking plainly: “Will I find you ready?”

Jesus speaks of servants waiting for their master’s return.
They don’t know the hour.
So they stay alert.
Lamps lit. Shoes on.
Ready.

Because when he comes, he wants to find them watching.

What is Jesus teaching?

That life is short.
That eternity is long.
And that your soul matters infinitely more than your job title, your holidays, or your hobbies.

“Stay awake,” He says.
“Be dressed for action.”
“Keep your lamps burning.”

What Does It Mean to Be “Ready”?

It means living in a state of grace.
It means saying yes to the daily work of conversion.
It means rejecting the lie that “I’ll deal with God later.”

Let’s be blunt:

You don’t know how long you have.

You don’t know the hour.

But you do know the truth.

So the question is: what are you doing with what you’ve received?

Because we are not uninformed.
We are the entrusted.

We have the fullness of the faith.
We have the Church, the sacraments, the Eucharist, the saints.
We’ve been given treasure—eternal treasure.

And so, Jesus says, much will be required.

So how do we live ready—not in fear, but in faith?

Let me give you five ordinary, powerful things:

Go to Confession regularly
Not just when you’ve blown it big. But regularly.
The saints went monthly. Some weekly.
Grace is real. Don’t stay away.

Come to Mass with hunger
Not just out of habit.
Come to receive Christ Himself—Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity.

Pray every day
Even five minutes in silence, heart open to God, can change you.
Especially when you don’t feel like it.

Live simply
Ask: “Will this help me get to Heaven?” If not, why am I holding onto it?

Ask for the Holy Spirit
You’re not doing this alone.
The Christian life is not a solo project—it’s grace, start to finish.

Why does Jesus give us this teaching?

Because He wants you in Heaven.
Because He doesn’t want you caught off guard.
Because He loves you enough to speak clearly.

He’s not trying to scare you—He’s trying to save you.

He gives the image of a faithful servant—dressed, prepared, joyful.
And what does the Master do?

He comes in…
And waits on the servant.
He serves them.

That’s Jesus.

The Master who becomes the Servant.
The Lord who washes feet.
The King who dies for His people.

So yes, this Gospel is serious.
But it’s also filled with hope.

If you’re not ready today—you can be by nightfall.
Grace is never far away.

Let me leave you with the words of St. John Chrysostom:

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