＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊

Romans 5: 12, 15b, 17-19, 20b-21

 Therefore, sin entered the world through one man

and through sin, death, and later on death spread to all humankind, because all sinned. Such has been the fall, but God’s gift goes far beyond. All died because of the fault of one man, but how much more does the grace of God spread when the gift he granted reaches all, from this unique man Jesus Christ.

 If death reigned through the disobedience of one and only one person, how much more will there be a reign of life for those who receive the grace and the gift of true righteousness through the one person, Jesus Christ. 

Just as one transgression brought sentence of death to all, so, too, one man’s good act has brought justification and light to all; and as the disobedience of only one made all sinners, so the obedience of one person allowed all to be made just and holy.

The Law itself, introduced later on, caused sin to increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, and as sin caused death to reign, so grace will reign in its own time, and after making us just and friends of God, will bring us to eternal life through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

 

 Ps   40 Here i am, Lord;i come to do your will.

 

＊＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊＊

Luke 12: 35-38

Be ready, dressed for service, and keep your lamps lit,  like people waiting for their master to return from the wed­ding. As soon as he comes and knocks, they will open to him.   Happy are those servants whom the master finds wide-awake when he comes.

 Truly, I tell you, he will put on an apron and have them sit at table and he will wait on them. Happy are those servants if he finds them awake when he comes at midnight or daybreak!

 

 Reflection gospel：

“HAPPY ARE THOSE SERVANTS WHOM THE MASTER FINDS WIDE-AWAKE WHEN HE COMES.”

There will be an end of time. An ordinary understanding of this is that it points to the end of the world. However, some would maintain that this may also mean the end of one’s life (death) if one will not survive to witness the world’s end.

But let’s face it, many are scared of the end of time. Probable because of its accompanying catastrophic and cataclysmic occurrences. There will be horrifying scenes of loss and destruction. Fortunately, Sacred Scriptures gives us better picture.

The end of time is not just about disasters, it is also about the return of the Lord, something we should not be sacred of but look forward to. The Lord’s return is certain (cf. Act 1:11; Rev. 22:12). But the certainty of this return is not certain, meaning we do not know exactly when.

But this is not of concern to us. what is important is that when this happens, the Lord will find us actively prepared: doing service in his household (the Church), faithful to him, watching, and waiting great shall be the reward of the servant found not lazy but eagerly anticipating for the Master’s return.

There will be a great reversal. Instead of the Master enjoying the feast, the servant will be blessed with it which is no other than the participation in the great banquet of heaven.