Stay Awake And Stand Ready

Mr Francis A. Omokhogie

To begin with, let us first of all ask ourselves what does “stay awake”, mean? It is not the natural slumber that overtakes us every night when we go to bed, nor is it siester (afternoon sleep) that is being referred to as “stay awake”. But stay awake implies living free from sin, living a life that is no longer under the dominion of sin. What is sin? According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church (ccc), it describes sin as an offence against God, by thought, word, deed or omission against the law of God. Furthermore, stay awake is a rebirth, a reawakening, a revival, a repentance that is integral renaissance. To crown it all, letting old things to pass away and then become a new man in Christ Jesus. This is what is referred to as stay awake and stand ready until the coming of the Son of man.
What are the vices or sins we should stay awake from? Such vices or sins include Murder, Kidnapping, Theft, Arm-robbery, Immorality, Abortion, political thuggery and intricacies, negligence of orphans, widows and handicap, untruthfulness, infidelity to God, Idolatory, gossip, hatred, Pride, dishonesty, and lots more. Let us look at Genesis 7:23. Noah was an upright man who served God faithfully and diligently. And God was so pleased with him that he and his family, eight (8) in number, were the only human survivors of that great flood that destroyed the entire world at that time. The people were eating and drinking, marrying and given in marriage, buy and selling in the market, Judges, Magistrates were executing judgement in the court. There were politicians that looted money and forgot the poor masses. They never knew when the great flood came and swept them away. Why? Because they spearheaded and indulged themselves in sins and atrocities that angered God the Most High.
Similar catastrophic destruction will take place in this very world we are in. Not of water again, but of fire. (2 Peter chapter 3) Let us all stay awake and stand ready in order to avert the doom that will ensue at the coming of the Son of MAN.
The consequence of not staying awake. In Genesis 19:24-26. The Lord suddenly rained burning sulphur on the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah and destroyed them, and the whole valley, along with all the people there and everything that grew on the land. But lots wife looked back and was changed into a pillar of salt.
Reward for staying awake from sin
Lot and his two daughters escaped for safety. Let us examine Psalm 24 where a question is asked: who has the right to go up to the Lord's Hill? Who may enter His Holy temple? Verse 4 says; Those who are pure in hear and in thought, Who do not worship idols or make false promises. (Verse 5,) the Lord will bless them and save them, God will declare them innocent. (Verse 6,) such are the people who come to God, who come into the presence of the God of Jacob. Seek first the kingdom of God and all His righteousness and every other thing shall be added unto you.
The consequences of sin: sin brings punishment, destruction and death. Acts 5:1-11 says; “Ananias and Sapphira died because they were dishonest, fraudulent and lied to God over the money they realized from the sale of their own piece of land. The whole sum of the money had to be sent to the Church. But they kept a part and sent the remaining part to Peter which resulted to their imminent death and they were instantly buried. They did not stay awake from their avariciousness and they met their doom. So it shall be when the Lord the Son of MAN shall come and did not find you awake and stand ready without faith, holiness and righteousness in you. He will say to you, “Away from Me, you evil doer. I do not know you. Go and join the faithless who are where there is weeping and grinding of teeth. (Hell fire) Matthew 25:41.
Let us therefore embrace the virtues that qualify us to stay awake and get ready for the coming of the Son of MAN. Such as faith, love, hope, generousity, humility, peace, goodness, kindness, mercy, holiness, meekness etc. You must be sacramentally pure that is, you must be baptized, be a communicant, have regular confession as a good Christian. Let us strive to be righteous because Matthew 25:34 says, “Then the king will say to the people on His right hand” come you that are blessed by my Father! Come and possess the kingdom which has been prepared for you since the foundation of the world. I was hungry and you fed me, thirsty and you gave me a drink, I was a stranger and you received me in your houses; naked and you clothed me; I was sick and you took care of me; in prison and you visited me. The righteous will then answer Him: When LORD did we ever see you hungry and fed you? Thirsty and give you a drink? When did we ever see you a stranger and welcomed you in our homes? Or naked and clothed you? When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visited you? The king will reply, I tell you; whenever you did this for one of the least important of these brothers of mine, you did this for Me.
The righteous are the people who stay awake and stand ready for the coming of the SON of MAN. Let us pray unceasingly through Mother MARY the Medriatrix of all graces for the grace to stay awake at all times because we do not know the hour when the SON of MAN is coming.