Stay awake - Am I following this?

Gospel Thoughts

*Ordinary Season : 21st Week - Thursday*

*GOSPEL - Mt 24:42-51*

*First Reading - 1 Thes 3:7-13*

*Stay awake - Am I following this?*

*1) We must ask drivers to know the significance of staying awake*

All those drivers who drive the vehicle at night, knows the importance of what is the meaning of staying awake 

A fraction of sleep, which comes during night, while driving the vehicle can be fatal 

I have witnessed it while travelling to Bangalore. A fraction of a second, the driver failed to stay awake, as a result, the bus directly entered into the field. Thank God it was a field, if not the story would have been different 

*2) Ordinary events of life and staying awake*

Staying wake does not only refers at night, and only in the area of sleep 

We need to stay awake in the every aspect of life. 

Like we breath, every moment of our life, we need to stay awake in every walk of our life 

From the moment we get up, until we go to bed, we need to stay awake in everything that we do 

If not, lots of accidents will take place, and we will end up in utter misery

*3) Stay wake, sleep and Night*

In the parable of the weeds and wheat, Jesus clearly says, the enemy comes at an hour when everyone was asleep, sows the weeds and goes away 

Here we understand, that none of them were awake, as a result enemny came and did his work and went away

The tragedy of not being awake was the growth of weeds 

*4) Staying awake and our spiritual life*

The concept of staying awake is very much applicable to our spiritual life 

As the enemy came when everyone was a sleep, our enemy the Satan comes when we fail to remain awake in our spiritual life 

Spiritual slumber is the main cause to lose the control of our life, which ultimately destroys our life 

*5) We need to work hard to stay awake*

Staying awake is not natural. Falling into sleep is natural. To remain awake one has to make efforts and need to work hard 

So *hard work* goes very well with *staying awake*. One who works hard will always stay awake. And one who stays awake, will always work hard. 

Staying awake makes our life meaningful and rich, which can be attained only through hard work. There is no short cut for hard work 

*6) Various ways of staying awake in our life*

As the soldiers of Christ we need to stay awake at times times to fight against the thief and our enemy

The following are some of the ways through which we can stay awake

- Active prayer life makes us stay awake to fight against the Satan 

Service oriented life helps us to stay awake against the attitude of selfishness

Generosity makes us to stay awake against, greed and self centered attitude

Humility makes to stay awake against the attitude of pride 

Forgiveness makes us to stay awake against the attitude of revenge

Smile on our face makes us to stay awake, from the attitude of sadness

Sacrifice makes us to stay awake against the attitude of selfishness

Hardwork helps us to stay awake against the attitude of laziness

Sincerity helps us to stay awake and to fight against the attitude of falsehood

Proclaming Good news helps us the stay awake, against the attitude of gossip

*So the question is am I ready to stay awake?*

*Think about it*

*God bless you and your family. Praying for you and your dear ones*

*Fr Maxim Dsouza*

*Jeppu Seminary*

*Mangalore*