the devil's tricks - 29th week tuesday

“Gird your loins and be like servants who await their master’s return.”

Eastern dresses are usually long and can be an obstacle for work.  To gird one’s loins means to lift the dress up, have it tied around your waist and get ready to work, get ready to do whatever task is in store.  It means that when the call is made the task assigned is urgent and no hesitation should be entertained – to be ready to do God’s bidding at all times.

This is expressed in the mass when in all other readings we sit but when the gospel is read we stand.  Standing is a sign of readiness to do what God is calling us to do.  In other words the response should be immediate and the call is always considered urgent.  Why is this so?  Because the devil has two tricks up his sleeves.  First, when the call is made the devil tries to overwhelm us with the impossibility of the task.  O no it’s too big, the task is too great for me.  I am just an ordinary Christian.  I am weak. I cannot do it.  

Second, the devil will convince us that there is time.  There is no need to hurry.  Relax, you can start next month.

Jesus calls us to what we call the readiness of the vigilant - girded loins, because Jesus knows our human weakness – belittle yourself, overate the task and tell yourself there is enough time – the devil’s trick.