We live in a world where everything must be done fast. We have ATMs for instant cash, we have credit cards for instant credit, we have instant coffee, instant noodles, instant this, instant that. But there are also many situations where we need to wait, to be patient. For example, babies are not conceived and born in a day or a week. It takes about 9 months of waiting and preparing. Nobody gets a degree after only one class. Most people need to study 2 or 3 years for a basic degree. Building a house cannot be completed too quickly. We need to ensure that a strong and secure foundation has been established before the building can commence. When we eat, we cannot shove everything into our mouth and swallow at one go. We may choke or get indigestion as a result.
Even waiting for the Lord's coming requires us to be patient. In the first reading, we are told: "Look, your God is coming, vengeance is coming, the retribution of God; he is coming to save you." When is the Lord coming to save us? We do not know. So we need to be patient. In the second reading, we are reminded: "Be patient, brothers, until the Lord’s coming... You too have to be patient; do not lose heart, because the Lord’s coming will be soon." Here, we should be patient and not lose heart. The Gospel today also echos our need to be patient and not lose heart, as Jesus tells us: "happy is the man who does not lose faith in me."
Seeing that we need to be patient and not lose heart, let us make a choice. We could choose to trust God, or we could choose to do things our way. Whatever choice we may wish make, we must be prepared to face the consequences.
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