When will the Son of Man come, 2012, 2050, tomorrow? We do not know - he will come at an unexpected moment. Although we do not know when, we do know how we are invited to await the Lord's coming-with readiness.

Yet, what does it mean to be prepared? Blessed is the slave that the master finds at work when he arrives. Yet to what work does this refer?

In the Gospel of Matthew, a key aspect of the Kingdom of God involves deeds of mercy, forgiveness and compassion. Being prepared includes concrete acts of compassion to those in need. It calls for true forgiveness of those people who have offended us.

This is not easy. Being compassionate makes us vulnerable. Forgiving involves taking a risk.

The beginning of the first letter to the Corinthians reminds us that we do not walk alone - God will faithfully strengthen us until the day of Christ's coming. In fact, God has already blessed with grace and spiritual gifts. We are invited to discover what these gifts are for each of us. We are invited to live out these gifts as a sign of our readiness.