Be Faithful Before It Feels Urgent

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

There is something very human in today’s Gospel. Jesus speaks about a master returning at an unexpected hour, and the whole point is simple: you do not know when the moment of accountability will come. Most of us live as though the important moments will announce themselves. We think, “When something serious happens, then I’ll pray more. When life settles down, then I’ll change. When I have more time, then I’ll become the person God is asking me to be.” But Jesus is saying: do not wait for life to feel urgent before you start living faithfully.

And that is really the theme today: faithfulness is built in ordinary moments. The servant in the Gospel is not praised because he did something dramatic. He is praised because, when the master arrived, he was simply doing what he was supposed to be doing. That is holiness more often than we realise. It is getting up and praying when you do not feel like it. It is being honest when nobody would know otherwise. It is being patient with your family after a long day. It is showing up, forgiving, serving, keeping your word, doing the next right thing. We sometimes imagine holiness as something spectacular, but most of the time it looks like quiet faithfulness when no one is applauding.

Jesus also gives a serious warning: “Much will be required of the person entrusted with much.” That line should make us stop. Because every one of us has been entrusted with something. Time. Gifts. Faith. Family. Opportunities. Influence. Maybe education, money, leadership, or the trust of another person. The real question is not, “How much do I have?” The question is, “What am I doing with what I have been given?” Christianity is not just about avoiding evil. It is about taking responsibility for the good God has placed in our hands.

And maybe the uncomfortable part is this: we can become very good at postponing obedience. We tell ourselves, “One day I will deal with that habit. One day I will make peace with that person. One day I will take my faith seriously.” But Jesus keeps bringing us back to today. Not tomorrow. Not someday. Today. Because the danger is not always that we reject God outright. Sometimes the danger is simply that we keep delaying Him.

So perhaps the invitation of this Gospel is not to live afraid of Christ’s return, but to live ready for it. And readiness is not panic. Readiness is peace. It is being able to say, “Lord, I am not perfect, but I am trying to be faithful with what You gave me.” If Christ came today, would He find us becoming the people He called us to be? That is the question. And maybe the best way to prepare for the last day of our lives is to live this day well.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, teach me not to postpone the good You are asking of me today. Help me to be faithful in the small things, responsible with what You have entrusted to me, and ready to meet You with a peaceful heart. Give me the grace to live today with purpose, so that whenever You come, You will find me following You. Amen.

– Homily by Rev. Fr. Patrick Agbeko