Wednesday, February 8 : Saint John Chrysostom

“At an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.” Jesus says this to them so that the disciples would stay awake and always be ready. If he tells them he will come when they are not expecting him this is because he wants to make them practice virtue zealously, without relaxing. It is as though he were saying to them: “If people knew when they were going to die, they would be completely ready for the day”… But the end of our life is a secret hidden from us all… This is why the Lord expects two qualities of his steward: that he should be faithful, lest he attribute to himself anything that belongs to his master, and that he should be wise, so that he might suitably administer everything put in his charge. So we ought to have these two qualities if we are to be ready at the Master’s coming… Because this is what happens due to our not knowing the day we shall meet him: we say to ourselves: “My master is delayed in coming.” The faithful and wise steward has no such thoughts. Wretch! using the excuse that your Master is late, do you imagine he won’t come at all? His coming is certain. Then why don’t you stay on your guard? No, the Lord is not slow in coming; this lateness is purely in the imagination of the wicked servant.

Roman Extraordinary (Tridentine) Daily Readings – rosary,team