Thursday of the
Twenty-first Week in Ordinary Time
(I Thessalonians 3:7-13; Matthew 24:42-51)
We think of the “good thief” as the bandit who was
crucified with Christ and asked his help.
But the gospels present another “good thief” who more authentically deserves
the name. He is the thief Jesus mentions
in today’s passage. Actually, he is
Jesus himself.
Jesus’ extravagant use of parables allows him to call
himself a “thief” to make a point. Like
a thief he will return to his people at an unexpected time. They, therefore, have to prepare themselves
for his coming by being constantly alert.
This does not mean that they stand around or even that they polish the
candlesticks. No, being alert or “staying
awake” means that that they look for Jesus in the needy.
Who are the needy and how might we help them? Many live in the parts of town where we
seldom find ourselves. But they are really
everywhere. They are the lonely whom we
might engage for a few minutes in conversation.
They are friends deluged with work to whom we might offer a hand for half
an hour. They are the sick, the
uneducated, and the aged whom we might spend a few hours a week visiting in hospital,
schools, or nursing homes.
