Tuesday, 9th week in Ordinary Time
5th June, 2018: 2 Pet 3:11-15,17-18; Mk 12:13-17
Peter speaks to us about a waiting mode of living out life! We are here in this life and we are not permanent here. We are passing by and all of us are waiting for that day when the glory of God will be fully revealed! What kind of a waiting is it? An inactive, helpless and a clueless waiting? No.
I remember this scene from a movie, where a group of candidates are made to wait for a long time in the lounge before an interview for a job. Each one has his or her own reaction to it and they keep expressing it in various modes. There is one singled out among them (obviously the hero) who is patient, sensitive to others, compassionate, objective in his judgement, decent in his remarks and enduring in his perseverance. At a point of time one among the group stands up and declares that the interview is done and the candidate is selected. When asked he reveals that he was the Human Resource Consultant who were to interview them. It is clear who was selected!
Though just a story, it explains what Peter tries to impress upon us: yes we are waiting; but in the meanwhile let us live a life that is saintly, holy, just, godly, pure and true. Thus when the Lord comes we would be ready to be found worthy. This is also what Jesus calls: giving to Caesar what belongs to him and giving God what belongs to God. In other words, living our life as persons ever prepared, warriors ever girded, never to be caught unawares, never compromising and always on the right footing.
A Christian life of virtues, or as St. Peter calls it today, a saintly life is not something that is done at an extraordinary moment, rather the dedication and earnestness with which every moment of our life is lived. There may be slight falls and slackening, but we are called to pull ourselves up and keep our head high, always focused as wait-time warriors!