Matthew 24:42-51

A. Text/Context

Today Jesus instructed his disciples about a hint what would be the picture of the coming of God’s kingdom will be like as exemplified by the 1st example that anytime a thief can break into your house
The 2nd example is about the option to be a good servant and that of the abusive one
If the good servant is doing his duties when the master arrives he will even be promoted to take care of all his property
But the wicked servant has become sloppy after the long delay of his master’s arrival is now acting like he is the master himself beating his fellow servants
So his bad performance sent him to a severe punishment to a place with the hypocrites where there is wailing and gnashing of teeth
For this reason you also must be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will
But still, the above examples of the thief and that wicked servants are just simply hints which means that the KOG arrives during times that we do not even expect

B. Human Situation

For many generations, Christians all over the world have always been mystified of the many signs and wonders that foretell the 2nd coming of the Lord
And many religions or even cultic and fanatical groups are always mistaken with what they think is the time line that Jesus will finally come again
They build shelters, they stock food, they go underground and all sorts of crazy things just to prepare for a doomsday scenario
And of course, they are always wrong and some of them have become laughing stocks because what they have foretold never happened
It is very clear in the gospel that there is really no exact indication when will that be and there is no way to know it whatsoever
Even the holy saints and mystics would receive this notice in their lives in order to prepare the people but never a date when will the Lord exactly arrives
But you see, God is the author of all the signs that we receive and even the most holy people cannot be so certain in the meaning of the signs they received
By this alone, it already tells us that we are so limited, and because we are so limited, human beings therefore must always be at God’s disposal all the time and always be ready anytime for His 2nd coming

C. Challenge

And so the challenge for us today is always repeated over and over again that we Christians must always be on guard
When the end is near, God in his power will gather all those who are faithful to Him by signs that only the person and his God understand
The loyal and the faithful will never be abandoned as they are prepared in any eventuality that Jesus will suddenly arrive to judge us and this includes the spiritual preparation concretized and made into actions in the daily obligations that we do
As St. Paul said in the 1st reading in 1st Corinthians that we must not be lacking in any spiritual gift as we wait for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ
With that, we keep watch at all times and we care not to be blemished by the stains of sin and impurity
We remain faithful while waiting, we remain hopeful whole while waiting
And finally, when the waiting is over we will all be in His kingdom