Fr. Jorge Miró shares with Exaudi readers his commentary on the Gospel for this Sunday, August 10, 2025, entitled “Be Prepared.”

***

The Word invites us to live our faith, to have a faith-based perspective on our lives and history. Faith is not a theory to be learned, but a life to be embraced and enjoyed.

In faith, the gift of God, we recognize that we have been given a great Love, that a good Word has been addressed to us, and that, if we welcome this Word, which is Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit transforms us, illuminates our path toward the future, and gives wings to our hope to travel it with joy  (cf.  Lumen Fidei 7).

The second reading speaks to this and shows us Abraham, the father of all believers:  Faith is the foundation of things hoped for and the assurance of things not seen… By faith, Abraham obeyed the call and set out for a land he was to receive as an inheritance. He set out, not knowing where he was going.

What is asked of Abraham is to trust in this Word. Faith understands that the Word, when spoken by the faithful God, becomes the most secure and unshakeable thing there is. Faith embraces this Word as a firm rock, to build upon it with a solid foundation (cf.  Lumen Fidei 9-10).

To have faith is to enter into a love story between God and us.  It is to discover that God loves you freely and to begin to respond to this Love, which precedes you and on which you can rely to build your life:  Fear not, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.

It is letting God pass through your life every day and meeting Him, who loves you, desires you, and seeks you.

Whoever believes sees; he sees with a light that illuminates the entire path of the journey, because it comes to us from the risen Christ. Whoever believes, by accepting the gift of faith, is transformed into a new creature, receives a new being, a filial being who becomes a son in the Son. “Abba, Father” (cf.  Lumen Fidei 1 and 19).

For this reason, the Gospel calls us to be awake, vigilant, attentive because the Lord comes into your life:  I stand at the door and knock; if you open it, I will come in and dine with you (cf.  Rev 3:20).

Stay awake, because today the Lord passes through your life: you are not alone; today the Lord speaks to your heart: He sheds light on your life; today the Lord gives you the gift of the Holy Spirit: He makes everything new; today the Lord gives you brothers and sisters to walk together toward the goal of heaven.

And we must be vigilant because your enemy the devil, like a roaring lion, prowls around looking for someone to devour  (cf. 1 Pet 5:8). We must be vigilant, because the devil wants to steal your faith, your community, your vocation, your joy, your hope… In short, he wants to lead you to loneliness, sadness, and despair.

This Word also invites us to detach ourselves from material things, because where your treasure is, there your heart will be also, and the Son of Man comes at an hour you least expect, and it is of no use to someone if he gains the whole world and loses his soul.

Last Sunday, Pope Leo reminded us that the fullness of our existence does not depend on what we accumulate or what we possess; rather, it is linked to what we know how to welcome and share with joy. Buying, accumulating, and consuming are not enough. We need to raise our eyes, look upward, to “heavenly things,” to realize that everything has meaning, among the realities of the world, only to the extent that it serves to unite us with God and our brothers and sisters in charity.

 How are you? Are you ready for the encounter with the Lord, who is knocking at the door of your life today  ?

Come, Holy Spirit!