When Robert Baden-Powell founded the Scout Movement in 1907, he selected "Be Prepared" as the Scout motto. He said, "BE PREPARED ... means you are always in a state of readiness in mind and body to do your DUTY." In today's gospel, Luke 12:32-48, Jesus advises the disciples and us that we are to prepare ourselves for life in the kingdom. Like Baden-Powell's ideal scout, Jesus expects us to be in a "state of readiness in mind and body" so we can enter the kingdom whenever the call comes.
Preparing ourselves for the kingdom does not include building fine homes, amassing wealth for financial security or gathering material possessions. In fact, Jesus expects the opposite. He tells us to give it all away. Because, by detaching ourselves from our earthly possessions, we are free to seek the kingdom. Then we can work on building "an inexhaustible treasure in heaven that no thief can reach nor moth destroy"(Luke 12:33).
After all this, we watch and we wait. However, we do not wait in idleness. We all have jobs to do and God expects us to do our jobs to the best of our abilities. We must be vigilant, obedient and faithful. Finally, we must be ready to give an account of ourselves to God at all times because "at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come” (Luke 12:40).
Lord God, unseen and yet the ground
of all reality, of all that counts,
we seek security and certainty,
something we can see and hold on to.
Truly be our God in whom we trust:
Help us to serve you faithfully in the present
and to be ready to follow you in the future.
Keep us alert for the coming of the Son of Man
on a day we cannot know
and at an hour we do not expect.
We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
