In Greek Legend, Ulyses went to fight in the Trojan war. He left his wife Penelope behind. Between one thing and another, he was gone  for 20 years.  In that time, she never received news of him, but  she never tired of waiting. She was still young, and many young men came and asked for her hand in marriage.  But she loved her husband, and was sure that he would come back.  So she waited and waited.  One day, her husband came home,  and her faithfulenss was rewarded.  Penelope’s love for Ulyses, gave her the strength to wait.  She loved him and she never tired of waiting. We all know something of waiting for someone whom we miss and whom we love.  On the one hand, the pain of seperation,  and on the other hand the joy and hope of meeting again. In today’s gospel, Jesus reminds us that he will be coming back, and he gives us a clear and urgent message: Be ready. “Have your lamps lit,” He says. “Be like servants waiting for their master.” This is not a call to anxiety or fear, but a call to vigilance, faithfulness, and hope.Jesus compares us to servants waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet. One of the most beautiful moments in this Gospel is what happens when the master arrives and finds his servants awake: “He will put on an apron, seat them at table, and wait on them.” This is stunning, this is the upside-down logic of the Kingdom of God. The master becomes the servant. It is Jesus Himself who, on the night before He died, knelt and washed the feet of His disciples. The Lord, who comes is not harsh or demanding, He is generous, even self-giving. But we don’t know when He is coming. “In the second or third watch of the night,” Jesus says. That’s the middle of the night – when we’re tempted to grow tired, distracted, or even disillusioned.

So how do we stay awake spiritually? Not by constant busyness or stress, but by living each day with purpose, with faith, and with love. To be “dressed for action” means to be ready to forgive, ready to serve, ready to pray, ready to let go of things that keep us tied down. How often in life do we get lulled into sleep, not physical sleep, but spiritual sleep? We go through the motions. We get comfortable. We put off things we know we should do. We delay forgiveness. We say, “Tomorrow, I’ll pray. Tomorrow, I’ll take my faith more seriously.” But Jesus tells us: Now is the time. The master is coming. Be ready. Christ may come at the end of our lives, or in the middle of our lives, or in the face of a neighbour in need. The call is the same: live each day ready to meet the Lord.

So today, let us ask ourselves: Am I living with my lamp lit? It’s hard to keep a lamp burning if there’s no oil. And the oil of faith runs dry when we neglect our relationship with God. But when we stay close to Him, especially in the Eucharist and through regular prayer, then our lamp stays alight. We become people who carry the light of Christ into the world. Am I ready – spiritually awake – to welcome Christ if He were to knock at my door today? Let us pray for that readiness, not rooted in fear, but in love and joyful expectation. “Be dressed for action and have your lamps lit.”