Today we hear about waiting, something we don’t often hear or
like to hear in our fast-paced, twenty-first century lives. We are so used to instant gratification today in our communication with family and friends, in the news we read, and in finding the answer to any question we might have. Most of the time, we want answers and we want them now!
But Luke’s Gospel today tells us we have
to adopt an attitude of waiting and patience instead, for we know not when the master will return. We are asked to be ready and vigilant; in other words, to have patience and to be aware.
Oh no! Talk about an anathema for the modern world! Not only are we denied instant answers to all the questions we might have about
the course of our own future, but when we take a step back and realize that those answers are not forthcoming immediately, we are also confronted with some uncomfortable truths about the reality of our existence. I often feel like all the devices, gadgets, and inventions that we interact with on a daily basis serve largely to help us escape our own inner life, our relationship with God, and the fact that we are limited creatures living a finite
existence.
Where have I experienced God recently? What have been moments of joy and consolation in my life, moments that provide light and inspiration despite the unknown and
unanswerable that lies ahead? When have I felt the care and support of others, even if it comes in some of life’s most challenging moments? If we ask these questions and look for the answers, then we just might hear the echo of the master’s footsteps, in the here and now.
- by Craig Zimmer
