Warnings… we receive some of them from different sources.
Relatives and friends who want what is best for us will occasionally give us a warning about something possibly dangerous for us.
Articles from magazines, or other published materials, can also warn us about health hazards, or accidents of some kind.
Of course, social media offer much advice and warning about things we should be careful about.
Today, the 2nd reading of our celebration has also the form of a warning.
It comes in the letter that the apostle Paul wrote to the first Christians of Thessalonica (1 Thessalonians 5:1-6).
The warning is about something very important indeed: it refers to our way of living as Christians.
Paul tells us:
“Let us be awake and sober”.
It is a call to be vigilant, to remain attentive to what is happening and… careful about what could happen.
There are people who pretend that whatever is to happen will happen and they cannot do anything about it!
They have given up any responsibility for their choices and actions.
They have forgotten about God’s presence and what he expects of us.
They go through life sleepwalking; they close their eyes to the reality they should be facing.
They are oblivious to God’s coming… God’s coming which is possible, probable, certain in fact and…
at an hour we do not know!
But this is NOT a threat, it is the eventual fulfilment of all that our human existence is about:
meeting God and living with him for a life of happiness that will never end…
if only we are awake to welcome him!
Note: Another text is available on a different theme, in French, at: https://image-i-nations.com/33e-dimanche-de-lannee-a-2023/