First Reading - 1 Thessalonians 5:1-6,9-11
Gospel - Luke 4:31-37
St. Paul tells the Thessalonians that the “day of the Lord” will come like a thief in the night. It cannot be scheduled or predicted. That is why he urges us not to live in darkness, not to be lulled into complacency, but to stay awake and sober, children of the light. God has destined us, Paul says, not for wrath but for salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. This means our vigilance is not fueled by fear but by hope and by the desire to live as those who belong to Christ.
The Gospel shows us what this looks like in action. Jesus enters the synagogue and speaks with authority. His words pierce hearts, and His power drives out evil. The people are astonished because they recognize something different: not empty words, but the authority of God Himself. In Christ, light breaks into darkness, truth silences lies, and freedom replaces oppression.
Dear friends, when we put these readings together, we see the call to live attentively in the light of Christ’s presence. To stay awake is not only about waiting for the end—it is about being alert to the ways Jesus comes to us now, in His Word, in the sacraments, in the needs of those around us. It is about letting His authority—not the noise of the world—guide our choices and give direction to our lives.
So let us ask ourselves: Am I awake to Christ in my daily life? Do I recognize His authority over my fears, my struggles, and my choices? Or am I drifting, distracted by the false securities of this world?
May the Lord grant us the grace to remain children of the light, awake and ready, so that when He comes—whether today or at the end of time—He may find us living in His peace, walking in His truth, and bearing witness to His saving power.
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