A Homily on Luke 12:35–38: Stay Dressed for Action ( 21-10-25)

Before October 7, 2023, Israel was calm. Life went on as usual. People went to work, children went to school, and families lived in peace. Even the guards felt safe and joined in the day’s celebrations. Then, without any warning, the attack came. Terrorists crossed in, and in a short time, many lives were lost. Families were broken. Homes were filled with grief.

That sad day teaches us something very important. Even when life seems peaceful, if we stop being alert, danger can come suddenly. If the guards and soldiers had stayed watchful and ready, the story might have been different.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus says, “Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning” (Luke 12:35). These are not just words for long ago. They are for us today. Jesus is reminding us to live with a ready heart. A soldier on duty cannot say, “I’ll take action tomorrow.” In the same way, a servant of God cannot say, “I’ll start living faithfully later.”

Faith is not something we turn on and off when we feel like it. Faith is a way of being — steady, living, and always awake. We must be ready at all times, not only when it suits us.

This is especially true in our spiritual life. Temptations, worries, and trials do not come with a warning. They come quietly and suddenly. How often do we find ourselves unprepared? We forget to pray. We postpone helping others. We delay speaking kind words. We keep saying there is time — but time passes quickly. Like that day in Israel, life can change in a moment.

Saint Paul reminds us in his letter to the Ephesians (6:13) to “put on the full armour of God.” He speaks as one who knows that our Christian life is a battle. To “stay dressed for action” means keeping our heart faithful in prayer, our mind open to God’s Word, and our hands ready to serve others. It is not about fear, but about love that stays awake.

Even in family life, this matters deeply. A father, a mother, a son, or a daughter — each one must be ready to love and serve when the need arises. When there is love, prayer, and care at home, it is like a lamp burning in the night. A house where people forgive, share, and pray together is a house that keeps its light shining for Christ.

Jesus says that the master will come at an hour we do not expect. So our readiness must never fade. Being watchful does not mean doing nothing. It means living each day as if it were a gift, filling it with faith and love, so that whenever God calls, we are ready.

Let us take this to heart. Let us stay dressed for action. Let us keep our spiritual lamps burning. Let us be alert and faithful servants, ready to serve God and others in every moment of our lives.

Lord, help me to stay dressed for action.

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God Bless…