Scripture Study for

The first reading consists of a communal lament and a prayer that recounts  events in the history of Israel. The people are in a desperate situation, unable  to help themselves, in need of someone who can rescue them from their plight.  They feel abandoned even by their ancestors, and so they cry out to God.  Attention then shifts from their distress to the mighty works of God. Those who  seemed to be the least deserving of divine kindness hope that God, who worked  wonders in the past, will work wonders now on their behalf.  

Paul is grateful for blessings granted in the past to the Corinthians. He reminds  them that these blessings came from God through Christ. This may indicate that  the Corinthians have developed a certain smugness about their abilities. Paul  then moves to the point of the passage, namely, the community’s waiting for the  revelation of the Lord. The Christians are living in the “time between.” Christ has  already been born, died, and raised from the dead. They now live in anticipation  of his return. At issue are the manner of their lifestyle and the character of their  commitment during this “time between.”  

A thrice-repeated command—“Watch!”—surrounds a parable that emphasizes  the need to be ready at all times, because Christians do not know when the Lord  will return. The Greek word for “time” (kairos) refers to a special time, a decisive  moment, more than mere chronological or sequential time (chronos). The short  parable brings this point home. Like the servants in the parable, the Christians  are instructed to be prepared at all times. The coming of the householder will be  sudden and unscheduled, a kairos moment. Life between the times will go on as  usual. There are responsibilities that must be carried out. However, life must still  be lived with the realization that this is a time of vigilance. “Watch!”