Stand straight and raise your hands

The passage from Luke's Gospel today would make a wonderful end of the world disaster movie.  Yet the premise is not made for Hollywood but for our edification.  Like the disciples we can become so enamored with the here and now that we forget about the Kingdom of God.  The prospects of the coming of the Kingdom do not have to be frightful.  But as bot Luke and Paul state today we ought to be vigilant. 

To be sure patient waiting is not sitting on our hands, or looking off into the distance, but participating n the work of the Kingdom.  The Gospels again and again contain stories of the necessity of of being found busy when the master of the household returns.  We are stewards of all we have received and are responsible for our faith.

Way back in the 80s the U.S. Bishops composed a document as a response to the Apostolate of the Laity.  The Bishops entitled the text, Called and Gifted.   Using the same starting point as Lumen Gencium, the Bishops reiterated that the 'call to holiness' included the laity as well within the Church.  Not only is the life of the catholic based on certain moral precepts, but catholics are to participate in works of charity, compassion, justice and peace.  Catholics do no stand along side of the world but are actively involved so as to be a stumbling block to the culture in which we live.

Just as the U.S. Bishops called peoples to community, ministry, study, and service, St. Paul states today that we need to be acutely aware of the Sin and Evil that pervades our culture, and stand up against it's vulgarity.  I recall a young freshman student who inquired why the Church couldn't believe like everyone else.  Well the answer is because we are the Church, and we belong to something much greater than we see around us.

We cannot allow fear from dissuading us from pronouncing our faith.  We have to be holy as our Father in heaven is holy.