Mass prep – 3 points/30 seconds: Does God wait on us?

1. The Lord as a servant

God’s love is boundless. In fact, God is ready to wait on us. Today’s verses of the Gospel speak about it. This is also borne out by so many other examples from everyday life.

2. Key words

"Gird your loins and light your lamps and be like servants who await their master’s return from a wedding, ready to open immediately when he comes and knocks. Blessed are those servants whom the master finds vigilant on his arrival. Amen, I say to you, he will gird himself, have them recline at table, and proceed to wait on them."

Girded loins are symbolic of one’s readiness to set out on a journey. One has on them what they need the most. Lit lamps stress even more the readiness to leave, even during the night. Holding a lit lantern means being vigilant, and you do not play with fire. 

Jesus emphasises that blessed will be those who are ready for his arrival when he comes and knocks on the door. They will be blessed and fortunate because they will meet God - Jesus. What's more, God-Jesus Christ himself will wait on them, as he announced that he would “gird himself, have them recline at table, and proceed to wait on them.” In many cultures, including in the present Holy Land, it is the task of the host to care for and serve the guests. The host not only shares his goods with the guests, but also becomes like a waiter to them. 

How does Jesus invite us for supper? This is magnificently expressed by the painting titled The Light of the World by William Holman Hunt. It shows Jesus knocking on a door at night. This door, however, does not have a handle on the outside; the latch is only on the inside. It is up to each of us to open the door to Jesus. If we do it, then what is written under the painting will happen - the caption is a quote from Revelation: “Behold I stand at the door and knock. If any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to him and will sup with him and he with me.”

3. Today

Jesus knocks at the door of each and every one of us. He invites us to Mass and to a moment of adoration. He wants us to stay with him and to stay awake, even if for a short time. His love envelops us in our daily life, and when our heart is alert, we know how to notice it. Let us remember, however, that the latch is on our side of the door. It is up to us to respond to Jesus' invitation.